The Geological Sciences Department at the Ohio State University established this award in 1983 to be presented to the Bownocker Lecturer in recognition of scholarly and professional achievements in the geological sciences. The Lecture Series was established in 1937. Starting in 1983, a medal was presented to the Bownocker Lecturer. Alfred C. Lane was the first Bownocker Lecturer in 1937. Robert L. Folk received the first Bownocker Medal in 1983. It is presented annually. The list of recipients is published in the lecture program. The award consists of a medal and expenses to present a lecture series at the Ohio State University.

Awarding Body: The Ohio State University Department of Geological Sciences

Past Recipients:
1937 -- Alfred C. Lane
1938 -- Walter H. Bucher
1939 -- Reginald A. Daly
1940 -- Charles K. Leith
1941 -- Arthur L. Day
1942 -- George F. Kay
1943 -- O. D. von Engeln
1945 -- Max W. Ball
1946 -- George G. Simpson
1947 -- Chester R. Longwell
1948 -- Hugh D. Miser
1950 -- Harold C. Urey
1951 -- James Gilluly
1952 -- Sidney Paige
1953 -- M. M. Leighton
1954 -- F. A. Vening-Meinesz
1956 -- J. Harlen Bretz
1957 -- J. L. Gillson
1958 -- F. J. Pettijohn
1959 -- Norman D. Newell
1960 -- Philip B. King
1961 -- Alfred S. Romer
1962 -- Charles H. Behre, Jr.
1963 -- John W. Wells
1964 -- J. Tuzo Wilson
1965 -- K. O. Emery
1966 -- F. H. T. Rhodes
1967 -- Richard Foster Flint
1968 -- Cesare Emiliani
1969 -- Allan V. Cox
1970 -- Valter Schytt
1971 -- Preston E. Cloud
1972 -- S. Keith Runcorn
1974 -- Peter J. Wyllie
1975 -- John F. Dewey
1977 -- Harold Masursky
1978 -- Robert F. Legget
1979 -- Harold Williams
1980 -- Ursula B. Marvin
1981 -- W. Gary Ernst
1982 -- J. William Schopf
1983 -- Robert L. Folk
1984 -- Kenneth J. Hsu
1985 -- Luna B. Leopold
1986 -- Anthony J. Naldrett
1987 -- Hans P. Eugster
1988 -- Digby J. McLaren
1989 -- Paul F. Hoffman
1990 -- Albert W. Bally
1991 -- Adolf Seilacher
1992 -- William Dickinson
1993 -- no award
1994 -- no award
1995 -- James D. Hays
1996 -- Harrison H. Schmidt
1997 -- Ian W. D. Dalziel
1998 -- Steven M. Stanley
1999 -- George M. Hornberger
2000 -- Wallace S. Broecker
2001 -- Robert A. Berner
2002 -- Lonnie G. Thompson
2003 -- Zoback, Mary Lou
2004 -- Gore, Albert A., Jr.
2005 -- Knoll, Andrew H
2006 -- Nolet, Guust
2007 -- James, Noel
2008 -- Hansen, James E.

Biography of John Adams Bownocker

John Adams Bownocker was born near Saint Paul, Fairfield County, Ohio, on March 11, 1865. He grew up on a farm and attended local schools. He had an insatiable desire to know things and longed for more education. He chanced to hear a lecture given by Dr. Edward Orton in his community. This gave him a determination to attend the Ohio State University and he began saving his money. He arrived in Columbus in the fall of 1883 and entered the beginning class of the preparatory department of the university with a fund of only $35.00. He got a job as a driver of a milk wagon for the university dairy. Courses and field trips under Dr. Orton inspired him to become a geologist. He graduated with a B.S. in 1889. He took a position as principal of a high school at Martins Ferry and saved his money toward further study. From 1892 to 1894 he was a fellow in geology at the University of Chicago studying under T. C. Chamberlin, J. P. Iddings and R. D. Salisbury. The year 1894-1895 he was a graduate student at Yale University and then in 1895 he returned to the Ohio State University as an assistant to Dr. Orton. In 1897 he received a degree of D.Sc. from the Ohio State University. He remained at Ohio State University for the remainder of his life, advancing from assistant in geology (1895 through 1898) through all the ranks to professor and head of the department of geology (1918 through 1928). During parts of his career he also worked as an assistant on the Ohio and New Jersey Geological Surveys. In 1916 he was appointed the fifth State Geologist of Ohio, a position he held until his death in 1928. He had a gift for administration and ran a very efficient, smooth operation at both the survey and the department. He was also a great teacher. In his later years he was concerned with building up the Orton Library of Geology at the Ohio State University. In February 1928 he underwent a serious operation from which he never fully recovered. He died on October 21, 1928.

Reference: Stauffer, C. R., "Memorial of John Adams Bownocker," Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 40, no. 1, p. 17-22, 1929. (Includes a bibliography.)

* From: Scott, Mary W. Named Awards in the Geosciences: United States and Canada 1996. Alexandria, VA: American Geological Institute, 1997 (Updated 2003.)

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Compiled by Mary W. Scott, Geology Librarian, Orton Memorial Library of Geology
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Last updated: April 23, 2008