About the Award
Lifetime Contributions recognizes contributions to the practice of the geosciences and/or petroleum geology in the region of the Rocky Mountains. This award was first given in 2013. The Lifetime Contributions Award is similar to the national AAPG Sidney Powers Memorial Award, the AAPG’s most distinguished award.
Previous Winners
2023
Dr. Stephen A. Sonnenberg (Steve) is the winner of the 2023 RMS-AAPG Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Contribution Award for his contributions to the practice of the geosciences and/or petroleum geology in the region of the Rocky Mountains. Steve has devoted his career to the geology of the Rocky Mountains and serving the geoscience community. As a Professor of Geology and Geological Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) and the Charles Boettcher Distinguished Chair in Petroleum Geology, he has made significant contributions to the geosciences. In 2009, Steve initiated the Mudrock & Tight Oil Characterization Industry Consortium (MUDTOC) at CSM, focusing on research related to mudrocks, tight oil, and halo reservoirs, crucial targets in the petroleum industry’s unconventional resource play revolution. MUDTOC has supported numerous Master’s and Doctoral theses, offering students valuable opportunities to conduct industry-relevant research. Steve has demonstrated exceptional leadership within AAPG, RMS, and affiliated societies throughout his career, serving as President of AAPG, Chairman of the House of Delegates, President of RMS AAPG, and President of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists. He has chaired important conferences and served on countless committees, remaining a trusted advisor for geoscience associations. For his outstanding service to AAPG, dedication to petroleum geology research, and mentorship of students, Steve is highly deserving of the Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Contribution Award.
2022
Randi S. Martinsen
2021
Thomas C. Chidsey, Jr. has dedicated his long career to the better understanding of Utah and Rocky Mountain geology, both in industry and during 31 years at the Utah Geological Survey. He has served as RMS President, President of the Utah Geological Association, as UGA’s delegate to the AAPG HoD, as General Chairman for the 2003 AAPG ACE, and as a board member of the RMS Foundation. He has been an editor or co-editor of seven UGA publications, one AAPG Study in Geology, three UGS Bulletins on Utah petroleum geology, UGS’s online journal Geology of the Intermountain West, and has authored or co-authored over 200 technical publications and abstracts. He also enthusiastically devoted his time and energy to educating the public, as co-editor of Geology of Utah’s Parks and Monuments, UGA’s most popular guidebook, and having published many non-technical geology articles. Tom has spoken at countless public and governmental events sponsored by various organizations. He lectured university students about careers in geology, annually engaged young students during Earth Science Week at the Utah Core Research Center, and he served as a Boy Scout Leader taking his charges fossil and rock collecting. For these lifelong contributions to geology and the geoscience community of the Rocky Mountain Section we are honored to present Tom with our most distinguished award.
2020 
Robbie Gries has blazed a trail for women in the geosciences throughout her lifetime. Her career is marked by a series of ‘firsts’. Robbie was the first woman to graduate with a geology degree from Colorado State University. She was one of the first women members of the Denver Petroleum Club and the first woman to chair the AAPG Annual Convention (Denver, 1984). Robbie became the first women president of AAPG in 2001 and later was recognized as the first women in history to receive AAPG’s prestigious Michel Halbouty Award for outstanding leadership. In 2018 to 2019, she served as President of the Geological Society of America. Robbie has spent a career making significant contributions to the practice of petroleum geology in the Rockies, but perhaps her most notable contribution is the authorship of a publication honoring women in the oil business, entitled “Anomalies: Pioneering Women in Petroleum Geology, 1917-2017”. This best-selling volume profiles the lives and accomplishments of women who have been forerunners and leaders in petroleum geology and, like Robbie, have given so much to our profession in countless and usually unheralded ways. For these contributions we are honored to present Robbie with the Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Contribution Award.
2019
John Kerns entered the oil and gas industry in 1958 with Tenneco Oil Company. By 1968, he left Tenneco Oil to form Hegna, Kerns & Traut Geologists, a partnership that continued for over ten years. During this time, he participated in the discoveries of Buck Creek and Stanley fields, both significant finds that provided impetus for new exploration in the southern Powder River Basin and eastern Williston Basin, respectively. John served on the board of Double Eagle Petroleum & Mining and partnered with Tyrex Oil Company on numerous projects in the Rockies. Eventually he started his own firm, Kerns Exploration, where he continues to serve as CEO.
An active member of the AAPG since the early 1960’s, John served as president of the Rocky Mountain Section in 1979 and later as Association Treasurer during 1984 -1986. In 1988, he received the Distinguished Service Award, and in 1993, he received the Honorary Member Award. In 2005, he was the exhibit chair for the RMS meeting in Jackson. He remains an active member of the Wyoming Geological Association where he has served as President, Treasurer and committee head, and was awarded the Frank A. Morgan Award for his contributions to the science of geology.
2018
Donald Stone may in fact be the person with by far the most published papers dealing with hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Rocky Mountain region; in the range of about two dozen with him as a single author. He was for decades on the leading edge in terms of sharing his insights into both the nature of the reservoirs and their structural and tectonic history. There is little doubt that these published contributions, which date back to 1966, were read by many members of the RMS-AAPG and helped inspire them to generate their own new prospects, some of which probably resulted in the discovery of new and commercial hydrocarbon reservoirs. In addition to Don’s skills as a scientist and author, he generously donated his time and efforts to many geologic organizations active in the Rocky Mountain region. These include the AAPG and RMAG. As part of these efforts, he also organized and edited several books including the 1986 RMAG Symposium on the geology of northwest Colorado. Few in the Rocky Mountain geology community have been as technically motivated and as fruitful in sharing their knowledge as Don Stone. He is clearly deserving in receiving the Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Contributions Award.
2017
Ronald Johnson is a research geologist with the Central Energy Resources Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver, Colorado. Ron has more than 40 years’ experience with the USGS on diverse projects and with many significant contributions to our understanding of the geology and energy resources of the Rocky Mountain region. Ron is a widely recognized expert on the overall geology (stratigraphy, mineralogy, geochemistry, etc.) and resource potential of oil shale in the Green River Formation and led the assessment team charged with evaluating the oil shale resources of the Piceance, Uinta, and Greater Green River basins mandated by the 2005 Energy Policy Act. He has led multiple Green River field trips, served in leadership positions with the AAPG EMD Oil Shale Commodity committee, assisted with the technical program at several Colorado School of Mines Oil Shale Symposia, and acted as a consultant and good will ambassador to oil shale researchers in China and elsewhere. As part of this career he has done pioneering work on coalbed methane resources (Wind River Basin), tight gas sands (Uinta, Piceance, Wind River, Bighorn, Crazy Mountain, Albuquerque, and Raton basins), and unconventional lacustrine tight oil resources (Uinta, and Elko Lake basins). His award for the RMS-AAPG Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Contribution Award is supported by his USGS coworkers and other geoscientists, who have benefited from his tireless efforts to describe and interpret the stratigraphy and sedimentary geology of the Cretaceous through Tertiary petroleum systems in the Rocky Mountain Region.
2016
Elizabeth Bartow Campen, in recognition of her lifetime contributions to the profession of petroleum geology, especially in regards to her support of the Montana Geological Society through leading field trips, mentoring many young geologists, supporting geology through public outreach, and being a leader of the Montana petroleum community. Throughout her long career, Elizabeth (Betsy) Campen has been an active supporter of the Montana Geological Society (MGS), serving in nearly every office including being elected the first female president of MGS. She also served AAPG in several ways: as AAPG Secretary, EMD secretary and as a Visiting Geoscientist. Betsy has always been active in passing on her knowledge and enthusiasm for the study of geology to others. She led numerous field trips, was involved in teaching children about rocks and presents an annual earth science award at the Science Fair. In addition, she has been active in the Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association which runs a field station in the Beartooth Mountains used for field camp. It is an honor to present Elizabeth B. (Betsy) Campen with the Robert J. Weimer Lifetime Achievement Award.
2015
Donald F. Cardinal was recognized for his 50-plus years of service to the profession of petroleum geology. Much of his service was with the Wyoming Geological Association (WGA) and has included organizing field trips, running symposia, authoring numerous papers (more than 40), and editing several guidebooks. He has helped to develop many young exploration geologists in the Casper area. His accomplishments include the development of a stratigraphic model for the Minnelusa and Leo Formations published in the AAPG Bulletin, the publication of the WGA’s 2014 Wyoming Stratigraphic Nomenclature Chart, and his water data compilation published in 1984: Water Resistivities: Wyoming and a Portion of South Dakota. As an exploration geologist, Mr. Cardinal has discovered or participated in numerous discoveries in Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado.
Don Cardinal receives the award from Sue Cluff, RMS President.
2014
Dr. Lehi F. Hintze, Professor Emeritus, Brigham Young University, recognized for his lifetime of contributions to the understanding of Utah geology.
Sharon Hintze accepted the award on behalf of her late father, Dr. Lehi F. Hintze. Bart Kowallis, professor at BYU and colleague of Lehi Hintze, assisted in the ceremony and RMS-AAPG President Elmo Brown conducted the presentation.
2013
Dr. Robert J. Weimer, Professor Emeritus, Colorado School of Mines recognizing lifetime contributions to the practice of the geosciences and/or petroleum geology in the region of the Rocky Mountains.
2013 Award – Dr. Robert J. Weimer presented by RMS-AAPG President Michael Vandenberg