Honors & Awards
Geothermal Rising is proud to officially open submissions for the 2026 New Tech Awards, recognizing the groundbreaking technologies and advancements that are accelerating the global growth of geothermal energy.
Joseph W. Aidlin Award: Melinda Wright
Geothermal Pioneer Award: Trenton Cladouhos
Ben Holt Geothermal Power Plant Award: John Matthew
Jim Bose Heat Pump Award: John Thomas & Dave Hatherton
Henry J. Ramey, Jr. Geothermal Reservoir Engineering Award: John Murphy
Rising Together Award: Dr. Cary Lindsey
Thermal Horizons Award: Nick Fry
Young Professional Award (Technical): Daniel Dichter
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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2026 Melinda Wright |
2003 Sabodh K. Garg |
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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2026 Trenton Cladouhos |
2003 Luis F. De Ande Flores |
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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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2026 John Murphy |
2015 Thomas Kohl 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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2026 John Matthew |
2016 Dan Hoyer 2015 Robert Tucker 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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2025 Lauren Boyd |
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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2025 Terra Rogers/DOE Research Team |
Rising Together Award
The Rising Together Award recognizes individuals, teams or organizations who demonstrate excellence in empowering the future of geothermal and its community. This award acknowledges achievements in training initiatives, career growth, workforce development and fostering a culture of belonging.
2026 Dr. Cary Lindsey
2025 Kelly Blake
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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2025 Travis Broadhurst |
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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2026 Daniel Dichter |
Young Professional AwardPrior to 2022, no differentiation was made between Leadership and Technical accomplishments in the Young Professional Awards.
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Jim Bose Heat Pump Award2026 John Thomas & Dave Hatherton Thermal Horizons Award2026 Nick Fry |