South Dakota Section, American
Institute of Professional Geologists Section Treasurer Gary Haag presents the
2020 J.P. Gries Geologist of the Year
award to Mr. Thomas Durkin. Award announced April 5, 2020, but due to
COVID restrictions and cancellation of the 2020 AIPG South Dakota Section
annual meeting, the award presentation was delayed until Nov. 24, 2021 at SDSM&T, Rapid City, SD. Photo taken by Dr. Ed Duke.
2020 J.P. Gries Geologist of the Year award announced
The South Dakota section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists
(SD-AIPG) has named Thomas V. Durkin as the 2020 J.P. Gries Geologist of the Year.
The award is named in honor of Dr. John Paul Gries for his exceptional work in
the field of geology and is provided each year by the South Dakota Section of
AIPG in memory of Dr. Gries, a longtime geology professor at the South Dakota
School of Mines and Technology. Mr. Durkin's nomination letter by Dr. J.
Foster Sawyer included the
following:
It is my pleasure to nominate Mr. Thomas V. Durkin (CPG-9138) for the 2020 John Paul Gries “Geologist of the Year” Award. Information regarding Mr. Durkin’s career and professional achievements in support of my nomination is as follows.
Thomas V. Durkin earned an A.S. degree from Nassau Community College, a B.S. degree from Adelphi University, and an M.S. degree from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Over the course of his distinguished career, Tom has made many contributions to the geosciences in South Dakota, nationally, and internationally primarily through his work with the South Dakota Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) in the earlier stages of his career and currently through the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium where he serves as Deputy Director.
As a scientist with the South Dakota DENR, Tom was involved with evaluating, monitoring and mitigating the effects of acid rock/mine drainage at mine sites in the Black Hills uplift such as the Gilt Edge Mine which is currently listed under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund remediation program. Through his work with these sites in the Black Hills, Tom became an international expert in acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage, and his actions contributed greatly toward mitigating negative impacts and improving environmental conditions in soils, rock, and water affected by these sites, many of which occur in source water areas for public drinking water supplies. In more recent years in his position as Deputy Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, Tom’s contributions to the geosciences, and science in general, have come through the many NASA-related programs that he administers that benefit students and scientists in South Dakota including scholarships, grant programs, internships, and frequent public outreach events. Tom is a gifted speaker and communicator, and he has reached thousands of young people with his messages related to astronomy, planetary geology, and the frontiers of space-related research. His positive, enthusiastic demeanor and his ability to relate the importance of geoscience and space research to general audiences with charm and charisma are key elements of his success in these efforts.
Another avenue through which Tom has contributed to the geosciences in South Dakota includes his long-time support and the many activities that he has generously volunteered for the AIPG South Dakota Section. Tom has served in multiple officer positions in the South Dakota Section, including terms as President and Past President of the section, and he also has served as the Section Screening Chairperson and Section Website Editor for many years. Perhaps even more significant are his many contributions to almost all section activities, and the support that he has shown for the section behind the scenes in numerous ways. Tom is one of a small group of individuals who have been crucial in maintaining and sustaining the South Dakota Section, nurturing it into a healthy, active section, particularly with respect to student participation and outstanding field trips. Another excellent example of Tom’s contributions was his significant effort to bring together seven state and federal organizations to cooperate on the design, construction, and installation of a geologic roadside display along the route to Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills, providing geologic information to over two million potential viewers per year as they drive to the Shrine of Democracy.
I cannot think of anyone who has done more for the geosciences in South Dakota over many years and through many avenues, or anyone who better exemplifies the high standards represented by the AIPG John Paul Gries “Geologist of the Year” Award than Mr. Thomas V. Durkin, and I am pleased to nominate and wholehearted recommend Tom for the distinct honor of receiving this award.
Previous J.P. Gries award recipients include Gary Haag with the United States Forest Service; Richard Hammond with Heine Electric and Irrigation; Dr. Rachel Benton with Badlands National Park; South Dakota School of Mines & Technology professors Dr. Arden Davis, Dr. Colin Paterson, Dr. Edward Duke, Dr. Perry Rahn, Dr. Jack Redden, Dr. Alvis Lisenbee, Dr. James Fox, and Dr. J. Foster Sawyer; Mark Anderson and Janet Carter with the United States Geological Survey; and South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources geologists Dr. Mark Fahrenbach, Fred Steece, and Derric Iles.
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