Dr. Kent C. Condie

SOCORRO, N.M. – The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (a research
division of New Mexico Tech) announces that the 2023 Earth Science Achievement Award for
“outstanding contributions advancing the role of earth science in areas of research and
education” will go to Dr. Kent C. Condie.

Kent Condie began his academic career at New Mexico Tech in 1970. He retired in 2014, but
only from teaching. As an emeritus faculty member with the Earth and Environmental Science
Department, his research remains strong. During his time in New Mexico, he has studied
geology within our state, but also around the world. He focuses on better understanding of the
first 2-3 billion years of earth’s history. Kent’s research prowess is well recognized. He is the
top-ranked scholar at New Mexico Tech from the perspective of H-index and citations. He also
received the 2018 Penrose Medal, the Geological Society of America’s top honor, in recognition
of his research accomplishments. The citation for the Penrose Medal provides a wonderful
summary of Kent’s research contributions, and is available to read through the GSA website.

The Earth Science Achievement Award focuses not only on research, but also on the nominee’s
impact on geoscience education in New Mexico. During his time in New Mexico, Kent taught
upper level and graduate geology courses to a huge cohort of geoscientists, a number of whom
have spent their careers in New Mexico, contributing to geoscience research in our state. Kent
also advised seven PhD and many MS students, and, beyond that, served on many thesis
committees. Kent’s classes, and the projects done by his students, tended to be notably field-
oriented, and Kent’s geo-river raft trips were legendary.

Kent’s former students highlight how his classes and associated field trips, as well as his
appreciation for science and the natural world, inspired them as students, and in their
professional careers. Things mentioned by former student include rough terrain, scorching
heat, death marches, and cactus spines, but also patience, mapping skills, the excitement of
new discoveries, dedication, support of individual students’ particular needs, as well as kindness
and thoughtfulness.