In addition to those available from the Utah Chapter, the national AWG has a number of scholarships and professional development awards available. Please visit https://www.awg.org/page/ScholarshipsandAwards for more details. 

Susan Ekdale, MA

Sue Ekdale was an early leader of women in geoscience in Utah. After graduating cum laude from Augustana College in 1969 with a BA in geology, Sue went on to pursue post-graduate education and graduated from Rice University in 1974 with a MA. Her master's thesis was a micropaleontological study near Cancun, Mexico (before that area was inhabited and became a world class tourist destination - not a bad field site!). Sue worked as a geologist for Geological Consulting Services, Getty Mining, and Kennecott Exploration, an early pioneer for professional women in mining and minerals exploration. As an avid supporter of the geoscience community in Utah, and in making that community accessible to female geoscientists, Sue played a significant role in the early days of SLC AWG in the 1990s, including serving as chapter president. A great supporter and dear friend of SLC AWG, Sue's unexpected death in 1997 led the chapter to rename the fledgling field camp scholarship the Ekdale Field Camp Scholarship in her honor. To date, SLC AWG has awarded over $45,000 in field camp scholarships to young women pursuing a degree in geology, a legacy we believe Sue would be proud of. SLC AWG also thanks Sue's husband, Professor Tony Ekdale at the University of Utah, for his continued support of SLC AWG and our goal of making the geosciences accessible to all. 

To donate to the Utah Chapter in honor of Susan Ekdale, please visit the Donate page. 

Dr. M. Lee Allison 

Lee Allison began his career as a geologist in the oil and gas industry, but transitioned after 15 years to a career in public service as a state survey geologist. Dr. Allison was leader of the Geological Surveys in Arizona (2005-2016), Kansas (1999-2004), and Utah (1989-1999), and in each state he sought to increase the impact of the research and outreach of these agencies in the wider world. Dr. Allison lead with enthusiasm and optimism, dedicated to communicating geologic information in ways that resonated locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Despite his ambitious goals, he always kept people at the heart of everything he did. Once on a plane going somewhere, he turned to his wife and said "I've figured out how to give everyone in the Utah Survey a raise." He was absolutely dedicated to the advancement of women in geosciences and was at times shocked when he met significant resistance from others who clung to the "good-old-boy" status quo. He was a member of AWG in Salt Lake City almost from the inception of the chapter. 

To honor Dr. Allison's dedication to supporting women in geosciences, his wife Anne Becker requested donations in Lee's name be made to the AWG Utah Chapter following his unexpected death in 2016. The Utah Chapter of AWG is honored to benefit from Dr. Allison's work towards achieving equity for women in geosciences, and we are proud to offer the Lee Allison Professional Development Award annually to a female geoscientist seeking to participate in a professional development activity. To date this award has supported women attending conferences, becoming certified as Professional Geologists, and continuing their education with GIS certifications. 

To donate to the Utah Chapter in honor of Dr. Lee Allison, please visit the Donate page.