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Staff and Student Awards 2021-2022

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The Celebrate UTIG Luncheon is an annual celebration at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics to recognize and reward the achievements of the institution’s staff and students. The 2021/22 awards were presented by director, Demian Saffer, at a lunch ceremony – the first in person awards since 2019.

Before presenting the awards, Saffer gave a review of the year, including new hires, recent retirements, research highlights and other achievements.

Although the awards go to a handful of people, they recognize the collective achievements of everyone who makes UTIG an exciting and great place to work.

Staff and students sit at decorated tables with their lunch.
Shuai and Simone walk away from the podium with their awards
UTIG staff having lunch at a decorated table
Celebrate UTIG 2022 Photo Album

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s awards!

They were:

Portrait of Thorsten Becker

Thorsten Becker

UTIG Director’s Circle of Excellence

Peter Flemings

UTIG Director’s Circle of Excellence

Portrait of Chris Lowery

Chris Lowery

UTIG Director’s Circle of Excellence

Picture of Sean taking a selfie at sea. The sun is shining on the sea behind him

Sean Gulick

UTIG Director’s Circle of Excellence

Picture of Laura facing the camera on a research vessel at sea

Laura Wallace

UTIG Director’s Circle of Excellence

Photo of Mark outdoors. Larry Lawver is standing to one side. They are both looking at something off camera

Mark Wiederspahn

Career Award

Photo of Shuai Yan in Antarctica. He is holding a camera and behind him is a flat landscape of ice.

Shuai Yan

Outstanding Graduate Student

Simone flashes a longhorn at the camera. Behind him is a rocky desert landscape with mountains on the horizon

Simone Puel

Outstanding Graduate Student

Angela sitting on the deck of the boat. She is looking up at the camera

Angela Reyes

Outstanding Support Staff

Picture of Jesse smiling energetically at the camera

Jesse Houghton

Outstanding Support Staff

Portrait of Enze Zhang

Enze Zhang

Outstanding Postdoc

Portrait of Xiaohua

Xiaohua ‘Eric’ Xu

Outstanding Young Researcher

Picture of Don Blankenship in conversation with Cyril during an internal UTIG event

Don Blankenship

Outstanding Research

Picture of Ben on a boat

Ben Hester

Eleanor Picard Excellence Award

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