News Release

Eberli recognized with inaugural Johannes Walther Medal for outstanding efforts in sedimentology

Grant and Award Announcement

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science

Gregor Paul Eberli, University of Miami

image: The International Association of Sedimentologist selected Dr. Gregor Paul Eberli from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science as the first recipient of the Johannes Walther Award. The award is presented to a mid-career scientist and commemorates the 60th anniversary of the IAS and the 50th anniversary of its journal, Sedimentology, the world’s leading journal in the field. view more 

Credit: UM/RSMAS

MIAMI -- The International Association of Sedimentologist (IAS) named Dr. Gregor Paul Eberli from the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science as the first recipient of the Johannes Walther Award. The award will be presented to a mid-career scientist and commemorates the 60th anniversary of the IAS and the 50th anniversary of its journal, Sedimentology, the world's leading journal in the field.

Eberli has been a leader in the development of new approaches to understanding carbonate sediments and rocks, with a focus in the areas of: seismic sequence stratigraphy; comparative sedimentology; physical properties and petrophysics; exploration of deep-water corals; and the utility of outcrop analogues in stratigraphy.

While at UM Eberli has developed new concepts for the anatomy and evolution of carbonate platforms both in the Bahamas and in Italy. In a series of seminal papers Eberli established a revolutionary new model of carbonate platform development. Eberli's research has played a key role in assessing the effects of sea level fluctuations and climate change on carbonate sediments. He is recognized for revealing the complicated internal architecture of Great Bahama Bank and changing the view of the growth pattern of such carbonate platforms. In addition, Eberli has conducted several successful petrophysical experiments that help to better understand the log and seismic signature of carbonates.

Eberli is also the director and principal investigator (PI) of the CSL - Center for Carbonate Research that is largely supported by industrial asscoiates. The CSL, started by UM sedimentology pioneer Dr. Robert Ginsburg in 1970, has grown to include more than 15 oil companies and supports four PIs, as well as 20 graduates students. The CSL has had major breakthroughs in documenting how sedimentologic and geochemical processes produce variations of porosity/velocity are related to differences in rock pore types and established criteria for identifying facies in seismic sections -- both of which serve as special utilities to geologists and engineers in the petroleum industry.

"Gregor is a singularly appropriate candidate for the inaugural Johannes Walther Award. He has an outstanding record of scholarly publications, and is a superb colleague, teacher and mentor to young geoscientists," said Dr. Peter Swart, chair of Marine Geology and Geophysics and professor at UM's Rosenstiel School.

The award, which was presented last week at the IAS conference in Austria, is named for Johannes Walther, a renowned 19th century German geologist. Walther's Law states that sedimentary facies found adjacent to each other, come to lie superimposed on each other in the sedimentary record --a fundamental tenet in the study of sedimentary geology.

A native of Switzerland, Eberli received his doctorate from Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich in 1985. He and his wife, Mara, live in Key Biscayne, Fla.

###

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is the largest private research institution in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, please visit www.rsmas.miami.edu.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.