SME Awards
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) administers and presents numerous recognition awards for outstanding individual and group achievements in the minerals industry. These awards and their recipients represent the highest levels of commitment and expertise that have come to symbolize the vitality of SME as a professional society.
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SME Committee
The GEM Award was established in 1978 to recognize outstanding contributions to the SME Government, Education and Mining (GEM) program within the defined scope of GEM activities. The award is made for activities at the Local Section level only. Election to this honor is by the GEM Committee with notification to the SME Executive Committee.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: David R. Gossett
The GEM Award was established in 1978 to recognize outstanding contributions to the SME Government, Education and Mining (GEM) program within the defined scope of GEM activities. The award is made for activities at the Local Section level only.
Award Information & History
2004 Recipient: Washington DC Section
To be considered for the SME Student Chapter GEM Award, information is submitted in the Student Chapter’s Annual Report regarding the Chapter’s Gem program, community service and/or other educational outreach activities. The award selection committee will use the material written in your report to select the award recipient.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: University of Kentucky
The Ivan B. Rahn Education Award, established in 1995, recognizes distinguished contributions to the educational activities within SME and is open to all SME members who have shown long-term interest in and have significantly contributed to SME activities relating to ABET, student affairs, continuing education, professional registration, and/or the Council of Education.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Sukumar Bandopadhyay
2007 Recipient: David D. Eyer
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: West Virginia Student Chapter
The President’s Citation, established in 1978, recognizes a significant individual contribution culminating in the SME year of tenure of the selecting President. The award consists of a presentation case with a certificate on one side and the citation on the other. Recipients of this award shall be the personal selection of the President of the Society.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Robert S. Shoemaker
2007 Recipient: S. Komar Kawatra
The Robert M. Dreyer Award in Applied Economic Geology, established as an annual Award in 1999, recognizes outstanding achievements in applied economic geology. The outstanding achievements so recognized must have been accomplished through commercial exploration or development of metalliferous and/or nonmetalliferous mineral deposits.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: John S. Livermore
2007 Recipient: Andy B. Wallace
2007 Recipient: C. Mark Rebagliati
The Distinguished Member Award, established in 1975, is presented to a select few who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating significant and sustained contributions to the minerals industry and to SME. There must be some contributions to both the industry and SME, though significant and sustained contributions can be to either one.
Award Information & History
2008 Recipient: Ramana G. Reddy
2008 Recipient: Dr. Syd S. Peng
2008 Recipient: Patrick R. Taylor
2008 Recipient: Dr. William H. Wilkinson, Jr.
The purpose of the award is to provide recognition to individuals that have demonstrated technical and scientific excellence in advancing the understanding of ground control technologies or approaches by either publication or direct applications in the mining industry.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Winton J. Gale
Coal and Energy Division
It is presented to an individual for achievements in the coal mining industry.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: J. Steven Gardner
The Ramsay Medal, established in 1948, recognizes distinguished achievement in coal mining, to include both bituminous coal and anthracite.
Award Information & History
2008 Recipient: Garold R. Spindler
The Howard L. Hartman Award, established in 1989, recognizes distinguished contributions in practice, teaching or research in the field of underground ventilation engineering.
Award Information & History
2004 Recipient: Pramod C. Thakur
The Howard N. Eavenson Award, first presented in 1969, is given for distinguished contributions to the advancement of coal mining.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Thomas J. Lien
The J. W. Woomer Award (formerly the Young Engineer Award) established in 1976, brings recognition of engineering professionalism to young people working in the coal industry.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Timothy W. Beck
The Percy W. Nicholls Award, established in 1942, is given for notable scientific or industrial achievement in the field of solid fuels.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Peter J. Bethell
The Rock Mechanics Award, established in 1967, shall be given for distinguished contributions to the advancement of the field of rock mechanics.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: John G. Abel, Jr.
The Stefanko Best Paper Award, established in 1983, recognizes authors presenting papers in the Coal & Energy Division technical sessions, at SME Annual Meetings, for their contributions to the body of knowledge.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Steve Hennings
2007 Recipient: James Sanford
2007 Recipient: Scott Thomson
Environmental Division
The Environmental Division Distinguished Service Award, established in 2001, recognizes members who have significantly contributed to the workings of SME and the Environmental Division and have an outstanding reputation for professionalism and accomplishment.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Fredrick B. Henderson III
Industrial Minerals (IndMD) Division
The Industrial Minerals Division Distinguished Service Award, established in 1995, recognizes members who have significantly contributed to the workings of SME and the Industrial Minerals Division; and have an outstanding reputation for professionalism and accomplishments.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Jessica Elzea Kogel
The Hal Williams Hardinge Award, established in 1958, recognizes outstanding achievement which has benefited the field of industrial minerals.
Award Information & History
2008 Recipient: Richard B. Berg
The Young Scientist Award, established by the Industrial Minerals Division in 1985, brings recognition of scientific professionalism to young people working in the industrial minerals industry.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Aaron M. McMahon
Mineral & Metallurgical Processing (MPD) Division
The Antoine M. Gaudin Award, established in 1975, is for scientific or engineering contributions that further understanding of the technology of mineral processing. Eligible areas for contributions are agglomeration, classification, comminution, electrical and magnetic separation, flocculation and sedimentation, froth flotation, hydrometallurgy, particulate behavior, and other related mineral processing operations.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Thomas W. Healy
The Arthur F. Taggart Award, established in 1970, is made for the paper or series of closely related papers with at least one common author, which in the opinion of the Committee represents a notable contribution to the science of minerals processing.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: John T. Hollow
2007 Recipient: Eric M. Hill
2007 Recipient: Hsing K. Lin
2007 Recipient: Daniel E. Walsh
The Milton E. Wadsworth Metallurgy Award, established in 1992, recognizes distinguished contributions that advance our understanding of the science and technology of non-ferrous chemical metallurgy.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Randolph E. Scheffel
The MPD Outstanding Young Engineer Award, established in 1984, recognizes significant contribution of a young individual within the Mineral Processing/Extractive discipline.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Peter Amelunxen
The Robert H. Richards Award, established in 1948, recognizes achievement in any form which unmistakably furthers the art of mineral beneficiation in any of its branches.
Award Information & History
2008 Recipient: Timothy R. Snider
Mining & Exploration (M&E) Division
The Ben F. Dickerson, III Award, established in 1987, recognizes professionalism and contributions to the mining industry.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Frederick T. Graybeal
The Daniel C. Jackling Award, established in 1953, is presented for significant contributions to technical progress in mining, geology, and geophysics.
Award Information & History
2008 Recipient: Mark N. Savit
The Mining & Exploration Division Service Award, established in 1985, honors members of SME (with the exception of all M&E Division Officers at the time they hold office) who have made outstanding contributions to the M&E Division in its programs or other activities.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Dr. Jean-Michel M. Rendu
The M&E Outstanding Young Professional Award, established in 1996, recognizes the meritorious accomplishments of a young individual working in the mining and exploration industry (including related academic and governmental careers).
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Eben D. Robinson
The Robert Peele Memorial Award, established in 1953, is given for the most outstanding paper published on behalf of The Mining and Exploration Division by an SME member under the age of 35.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Edgar Urbaez
The William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal, established in 1927, recognizes distinguished achievement in mining other than coal.
Award Information & History
2007 Recipient: Stanley Dempsey
