Honors & Awards
The GRC Awards recognize distinguished colleagues in the geothermal community from around the world and have been a highlight of the geothermal calendar since the late 1970s.
The recipients of these awards have significant achievements in the geothermal academic, scientific, and commercial communities. The award winners will be recognized during the 2024 Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC) in Waikoloa, HI.
Scroll down for descriptions of the individual awards and lists of prior recipients.
Joseph W. Aidlin Award
Joseph W. Aidlin was a groundbreaking lawyer, who co-founded Magma Power Company, which went on to develop the first geothermal steam production for commercial electric power generation in the Western Hemisphere at The Geysers in California. Aidlin also co-founded the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC), now Geothermal Rising. Aidlin was a key leader in writing state and national legislation relating to geothermal resources, including drafting the world's first geothermal lease.
The Geothermal Rising President recognizes an individual who has helped they/them during their time in office, mentoring/supporting them in their role. This would be at the full discretion of the President.
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2024 Tim Conant |
2002 Louis E. Capuano, Jr. |
Geothermal Pioneer Award
Recognizes an outstanding achievement and contributions to the development of geothermal resources. This would recognize individuals with a dedicated service to the industry that has led the way for the rest of us.
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2024 Ann Robertson-Tait and Jay Egg |
2002 Alfred Truesdell |
Henry J. Ramey, Jr. Geothermal Reservoir Engineering Award
Henry “Hank” J. Ramey, Jr. was a pioneer in the development of geothermal resources, working as a Professor of Petroleum Engineering in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University, where he taught and conducted research for 27 years. Ramey conducted the first steam well test at The Geysers geothermal field in California and helped to establish the Stanford Geothermal Program in 1972.
Recognizes outstanding achievement in subsurface geoscience and engineering and impacts on geothermal development.
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2024 Ahmad Ghassemi |
2014 Anthony (Tony) J. Menzies 2013 Subir K. Sanyal 2011 Michael J. O’Sullivan 2010 Malcolm Grant 2009 Cal Stroebel 2008 Ladislaus Rybach 2007 Karsten Pruess 2006 Roland N. Horne |
Ben Holt Geothermal Power Plant Award
Ben Holt was an engineer who worked to develop commercial-scale geothermal power plants. In the 1980s, Holt’s firm, Ben Holt Co., designed and built one of the nation’s first binary geothermal plants at Mammoth Lakes, California.
This award recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of geothermal power plant design and construction, direct use, and other surface utilization focusing on innovation.
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2024 North Valley Plant, Ormat |
2014 John R. Brugman 2013 Kenneth A. Phair 2011 Nobuhiko Hara 2010 Bill Lewis 2009 Richard Campbell 2007 Ronald DiPippo 2006 Kenneth Nichols |
Geothermal Special Achievement Award
Recognizes special or outstanding achievement in any aspect of geothermal energy development and related areas.
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2024 Fervo, Cape Station |
2007 Karl Gawell 2006 Jeffrey Hulen & Charlene Wardlow 2005 Orhan Metroglu, Joseph Moore, John Sass, & Mike Shook 2004 David D. Blackwell and Marnell Dickson 2003 Tsuneo Ishido, Douglas Jung, Tom Champness, & Luis Guiterrez Negrin 2002 Enrico Barbier, Richard Hoops, & Russell James 2001 Sabodh Garg, Marcelo Lippmann, Eugene Premuzic, & Luis Quijano 2000 John Pritchett, Dan Schochet, Bob Sullivan, & Franco Tonani 1999 Dick Benoit, Gene Culver, Tsvi Meidav, & P. Michael Wright 1998 Angus Brodie, David Glowka, Harry Veizades, & Tatsuo Yamasaki 1997 Jack Adrian, Mark Dellinger, & Nazario Vasquez 1995 George A. Frye 1993 Derek Freeston, Geo-Heat Center, & Marilyn Nemzer 1991 Bob Forest & John E. (Ted) Mock |
Outstanding Research Award
Recognizes excellence in research and potential impact on the geothermal industry
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2024 Faith Smith |
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Champion Award
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Champion Award recognizes individuals creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for historically excluded groups in the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), especially those in which geothermal is a key factor.
2024 Dr. Rita Okoroafor
2023 Johanna Ostrum
2022 Caity Smith
Young Professional Award (Leadership)
Recognizes young innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and up and coming leaders, under the age of 35, who have had an impact on the geothermal community. This would recognize individuals who have devoted significant time, effort, thought and action that has resulted in meaningful impact to the Geothermal Rising organization and the geothermal industry.
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2024 Jonathan Hernandez |
Young Professional Award (Applied Research)
Recognizes young innovators and researchers, under the age of 35, whose applied research contributions have helped advance knowledge and innovation in the geothermal industry or geothermal community.
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2024 Abdelmjeed Mohamed |
Young Professional AwardPrior to 2022, no differentiation was made between Leadership and Technical accomplishments in the Young Professional Awards.
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