"Research certainly enriches my teaching, but it also works the other way around." – Geerat Vermeij
The UC Davis Earth and Planetary Sciences Department is internationally recognized for its faculty, teaching and research programs. Here are a select few of the honors and awards received by our department and faculty.
- UC Davis Geology and Geophysics programs place top 50 in QS World University Rankings.
- UC Davis Geology (now Earth and Planetary Sciences) is ranked among the top 25 Earth Science graduate programs in the country (2018 America's Best Graduate Schools by U.S. News and World Report)
- UC Davis is one of the top 10 best public universities (2019 U.S. News & World Report College Rankings Report)
- Our students have been recognized for their achievements, at both the university and the professional level
- MGPV Distinguished Geological Career Award, Geological Society of America, 2020
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Berlin, 2017
- Chancellor's Fellow, UC Davis, 2010-2011
- CAREER, NSF grant from the Faculty Early Career Development, 2007
- Gilbert Harris Award, 2019
- Encourage Award, Association for Women Geoscientists, 2016
- Paleontological Society: President-Elect 2010-2011; President 2012-2013; Past-President 2014-2015
- Academy Fellow, California Academy of Sciences, 2006
- Centennial Fellow of the Paleontological Society, 2005
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2017
- Stumm Medal/Science Innovation award, European Association of Geochemistry, 2010
- Fellow, Geochemical Society, 2006
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2017
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2015
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2014
- 2011 Charles P. Nash Prize, UC Davis
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 1987
- Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Ruhr Universitat, Germany, 1977
- Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America, Elected 1974
- Fulbright Fellow, Geologisk Museum, Norway, 1964
- Corresponding Member, Australian Academy of Science, 2011
- D.Sc. Hon. Caus., the University of Rennes, 2011
- Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy, 2008
- Career Contribution Award (Structural Geology and Tectonics Division), Geological Society of America, 2006
- Fourmarier Medal, Royal Society of Belgium, 1999
- Wollaston Medal, Geological Society of London, 1999
- Ll.D. (Hon. Caus.) National University of Ireland, 1998
- National Academy of Sciences, 1997
- D.Sc. (Hon. Caus.) Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1995
- Arthur Holmes Medal, European Geophysical Union, 1993
- Penrose Medal, Geological Society of America, 1992
- European Academy 1990
- Fellowship of the Royal Society, 1985
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 1977
- American Geophysical Union Fellow, 1976
- Fellow of the Royal Society
- 2012 Bureau of Economic Geology Alumnus of the Year
- O.E. Meinzer Award, Hydrogeology Division of GSA, 2011
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2003
- GSA Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer, 2002
- Chair of GSA Geobiology and Geomicrobiology Division, 2025
- Fellow at California Academy of Sciences, 2025
- NSF CAREER Award, 2021
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2020
- Academic Senate Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award, 2019
- Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, 2016
- AAAS Public Engagement Fellow of the Leshner Leadership Institute, 2016-17
- Chancellor's Fellow, UC Davis, 2014-2015
- Academy Fellow, California Academy of Sciences, 2014
- National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award, 2013
- UC Davis Provost's Faculty Development Award, Fall 2013
- UC Davis Hellman Fellow, 2008-2009
- UC President's Postdoc, 2004
- Fellow of the Geological Society of America, 2016
- Fellow Mineralogical Society of America, 2012
- Niels Bohr Professorship, Danish National Research Council, 2012
- University of California Distinguished Teaching Award, 2003
- 2025 Athena Award for Academic Leadership
- 2021 UC Davis Prize for Teaching and Scholarly Achievement
- National Academy of Sciences, 2021
- The Francis J. Pettijohn Medal for Sedimentology, 2021
- AGU Fellow, 2020
- California Academy of Sciences Academy Fellow, 2020
- Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal, European Geophysical Union Division of Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Paleontology, 2019
- Geological Society of America, Laurence L. Sloss Award, 2017
- Chancellor’s Leadership Professor, UC Davis, 2016
- Vice President (President-elect), Geological Society of America, 2016
- Geochemical Fellow, Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry, 2016
- F. Earl Ingerson Lecture, Geochemical Society, 2012
- AAAS Fellow, 2012
- Guggenheim Fellow, 2011
- Herbert A. Young Society Deans' Fellowship, 2010
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2003
- James Lee Wilson Medal for Excellence in Sedimentary Geology (Society of Sedimentary Geology Young Scientist Award), 1996
- AAPG J. "Cam" Sproule Memorial Award, 1996 (for best paper by a young scientist, published by AAPG or an affiliated division or society)
- SEPM Outstanding Paper in the 1992 Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 1994
- Commendation for Science and Technology: The Young Scientists' Prize, 2007 - The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Gakujutsu Prize, Palaeontological Society of Japan, 2005
- CAREER, NSF grant from the Faculty Early Career Development, 2003
- Weider Award for Leadership in Pursuit of Southern California's Water Future, 2006
- UC Davis Distinguished Public Service Award, 2005
- Co-President's Chair in Undergraduate Education, 2003-2006
- California Rivers and Streams: Environmental Book of the Year, Mother Lode Chapter Sierra Club
- Roebling Medal, Mineralogical Society of America, 2009
- Harry H. Hess Medalist, American Geophysical Union, 2006
- Urey Medal, European Association of Geochemistry, 2005
- Highly Cited Researchers, ISI Thomson Scientific, 2002
- Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth Science, 2002
- American Ceramic Society Fellow, 2001
- Ceramic Educational Council Outstanding Educator Award, 2000
- Alexander M. Cruickshank Award, Gordon Research Conference, 2000
- Geochemical Society Fellow, 1997
- Ross Coffin Purdy Award, American Ceramic Society Fellow, 1995
- Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Uppsala, Sweden, 1995
- President, Mineralogical Society of America, 1992-1993
- National Academy of Sciences, 1993
- American Geophysical Union Fellow, 1988
- Mineralogical Society of America Award and Fellow, 1981
- Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, 1973
- UC Davis Academic Senate Undergraduate Distinguished Teaching Award, 2011-12
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2020
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2017
- Quake Sim team: co-recipient of NASA's Software of the Year, 2012
- Recognized by Thomson Reuters as one of the Top 10 most cited authors in the field of “earthquakes” during 2000 – 2010 (ScienceWatch, 2010)
- Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, 2008
- 2005 NASA Space Act Award - QuakeSim - NASA Tech Brief NPO 41079
- Elected Fellow, American Physical Society, 2004
- 4th Lorenz Lecturer, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, December, 2004
- Aki Award for Distinguished Service as Chair (1994-1996) of the Advisory Board of the Southern California Earthquake Center, 2001
- Award for Outstanding Contributions in Geosciences Research, 1996, by the Geosciences Research Program, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US Department of Energy
- Best Paper of the US Geological Survey, Branch of Geologic Risk Assessment, 1989 (with G. King & R. Stein)
- Award for Exceptional Contributions in Fundamental Research, Sandia National Laboratories, 1987
- Edward A. Dickson Emeriti Professor, University of California, 2014-2015
- American Geophysical Union Fellow, 2014
- Faculty Research Lecturer, UC Davis Academic Senate, 2014
- Cesare Emilani Lecture, AGU 2013
- Humboldt Research Award, 2013
- AAAS Fellow, 2012
- California Academy of Sciences Fellow, 2005
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2003
- Hanse Institute for Advanced Study, Delmenhorst Germany, International Research Fellow, 2001-2002
- Fellow of American Association for Advancement of Science, 2025
- California Academy of Sciences Academy Fellow, 2020
- Distinguished Career Award, Geobiology and Geomicrobiology Division of the Geological Society of America, 2016
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 2014
- Chancellor's Fellow, UC Davis, 2003-2004
- National Academy of Sciences, 2022
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2021
- Fellows Medal, California Academy of Sciences, 2017
- Addison Emery Verrill Medal, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 2016
- Circle of Discovery, University of Maryland, 2008
- Paleontological Society Medal, 2006
- Faculty Research Lecturer Award, UC Davis Academic Senate, 2004
- Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal, National Academy of Sciences, 2001
- John Burroughs Society, Best Essay in Natural History, 1997
- American Academy of Achievement, Golden Plate Award, 1997
- Academy Fellow, California Academy of Sciences, 1992
- John D. and Catharine T. MacArthur Foundation, 1992
- Book Subsidy Award, General Research Board, University of Maryland, 1984
- Award for Excellence in Research, Division of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Maryland, 1983
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, 1981
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, 1975-76
- Phi Beta Kappa, Princeton University, 1968
- Erasmus Mundus Scholar - The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, 2013
- Jefferson Science Fellow - U.S. Department of State (2009-10)
- Antarctic Service Medal - United States Congress (2000)
- Award for Innovative Excellence, Ninth International Conference on Teaching, Learning, and Technology, 1998
- California Professor of the Year, 1997
- Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
- Geological Society of America Fellow, 1997
- The Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, 1996
- UC President's Chair for Undergraduate Education, 1995-1996
- Royal Astronomical Society Fellow, 1994
- Fulbright Scholar, France, 1989-1990
- University of California Distinguished Teaching Award, 1988
- AGU Fellow, 2020
- Meteoritical Society Fellow, 2018
- Chancellor's Fellow, UC Davis, 2011-12
- AIPG Section Leadership Award, 2017
- Fulbright Scholar, Iceland, 2006