The award is presented by the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) to a person, organization, or institution in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the public understanding of geoscience. "Dr. Chan has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to public outreach and community service throughout her career," according to the press release issued by AGI. "Her earliest efforts focused on inspiring and supporting young women in the geosciences, and over the decades her concerns expanded to promoting public awareness of environmental issues and the urgent need to conserve geological resources."

Chan has given hundreds of public lectures, served as a volunteer consultant on scores of ecological and preservation projects as well as art collaborations, advised and created instructive material for secondary teachers and oversaw major Earth science community initiatives. The U has Chan to thank for coordinating the design and construction of the first LEED-certified building on the academic campus which includes educational visual displays that have since inspired geoscience building designs across the nation.

A PASSION FOR EARTH SCIENCE

Lobby of the Sutton Building, University of Utah

"I am very honored to be recognized by AGI for a career that has been so engaging and fulfilling,” says Chan who served as department chair during which time she was appointed the U’s first Geology and Geophysics faculty coordinator of outreach. “Being a part of the Earth science community has been an experience beyond my expectations. I’ve learned from so many wonderful people and made connections across cultures and countries that I will never forget. This has inspired me to share my passion for Earth science with the public. “

That passion for sharing has led to Chan's being featured in documentaries including National Geographic and Discovery Channel television shows. Additionally, she has been a guest on National Public Radio’s Science Friday, and has served as a science advisor for PBS-Nova Science Now. Her NASA science and outreach activities include Endeavor 2016 Dynamic Mars Webinars for K-12 teachers, Mars for Earthlings webinars and short courses and development of teaching modules for higher education instructors.

As the 2014 Geological Society of America (GSA) Distinguished International Lecturer Chan has given 53 lectures spanning India, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea. In addition to receiving two national meeting presentation awards from SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), she is the winner of the GSA Distinguished Service Award (2020) and the GSA Sloss Award for Lifetime Achievements in Sedimentary Geology (2019). She was also elected GSA Fellow in 1995. In her national committee work she has chaired the GSA Diversity Committee (2012-2013), the GSA Sedimentary Geology Division (2014-2015) and the U.S. National Committee for Geological Sciences (2022-2023).

Referring to the recent honor, Chan says “the award recognizes the impact of many important mentors and colleagues, and their investment in me. Being honored by AGI is an affirmation of the value in giving back to a profession that has brought me so much enrichment in my life.”

The Frederick Albert Sutton Building, the first LEED-certified building on U academic campus.

From Precambrian to Pleistocene

Chan earned a PhD in Geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1982 and a BS in Geology from the University of California-Davis in 1977. During an academic career of more than 40 years at the U, she has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed articles on a range of sedimentary topics. Her work has spanned the Precambrian up to the Pleistocene with recent research that applied terrestrial examples to better understand Martian geology.

When it comes to outreach Chan knows that public engagement is often an afterthought or less valued than research and teaching. “I feel that spreading our knowledge more widely is a core principle of scholarship. Our societal future relies on public understanding of the complexities in the natural world.”

Chan, who retired this year, is being recognized for the award at the Friends of AGI Awards Reception during the GSA Connects conference in Anaheim, California, on September 24, 2024.

by David Pace

About The American Geosciences Institute, AGI is a federation of scientific and professional organizations representing over a quarter-million geoscientists, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving the geoscience community and addressing the needs of society. AGI headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia.