Dr. Marcus Milling was chosen as this year's recipient for his tireless efforts to unite the geoscience community on issues of information, education and public policy. William Fisher of the Jackson School of Geoscience, presented the award saying that Dr. Milling's experience, vision and energy has made valuable contributions in research, management and leadership in the corporate and public worlds.
After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, Dr. Milling worked as a research geologist in the petroleum industry and later as Associate Director at the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. He joined AGI as Executive Director in 1992. "He proved to be the right person at the right time," said Fisher, a long-time friend and colleague. "He put forth a tremendous effort in forging AGI into a major professional voice." Dr. Milling has been the initiator of many AGI projects and programs including the effort to preserve important geological data and creating the AGI Congressional Fellowship (named for William Fisher) that support geoscientists to work for a year in Congress with a member or committee.
Past awardees include Senators Harry Reid and Pete Domenici (2004), Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton (2002) and National Science Foundation Director Rita Colwell (2000).
The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 42 scientific and professional associations that represent more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources and interaction with the environment. More information about AGI can be found at http://www.agiweb.org.