Jon Davidson
Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
2017 Distinguished Geologic Career Award (MGPV Division)
Presented to Jon Davidson
Citation by Shan de Silva and Jim Beard
Jon Davidson forged a significant career record that personifies the MGPV Career Award. He not only made seminal contributions in each of the division’s research fields, but along the way, many young scientists benefited from Jon’s loyal and selfless mentorship, and collaborators all over the world have been inspired by him.
Jon is most recognized for integrating modern geochemical, particularly isotopic, methods with classical petrology and fieldwork at volcanic provinces across the world. His insights into magma genesis and the pervasiveness of open system processes in the 1980s, led to the development of in-situ isotopic and trace element micro-analytical approaches in the 1990s and 2000s that are now de rigueur in magmatic and volcanic studies. Less appreciated is that Jon was a consummate field geologist, for whom fieldwork was about more than collecting samples. He mapped meticulously, and his attention to sampling context and detail are exemplary to those who worked with him. In recognition of his outstanding research resume, he received the Wager Medal of the IAVCEI in 1998 and was elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2016.
Beyond outstanding research, Jon’s selfless commitment to service and outreach was recognized with awards like the 2011 Coke Medal of the Geological Society of London. However, among these stellar professional achievements, Jon was proudest of his role mentoring the more than 30 Ph.D. and M.S. students and many other early-career scientists. He gave selflessly and generously as a mentor and colleague.
We are pleased to recognize Jon Davidson as the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Geologic Career Award from the Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Petrology, & Volcanology Division of GSA—a well-deserved honor that befits Jon’s creativity, commitment, and contributions to volcano science.
(Jon Davidson died 26 September 2016; https://www.dur.ac.uk/earth.sciences/obituary/.)