Tennessee Earth Science Teaching Awards
TEST sponsors or administers several awards for recognizing outstanding teachers of earth science. Awards are also given to those individuals or organizations that contribute to the earth science teaching through service or donations. Awardees are selected by the TEST Awards Committee (link) and presented at the annual Tennessee Science Teachers Association meeting held each fall. The Awards Committee is made up of TEST members and past award recipients. Some awards are accompanied by additional items such as journal subscriptions, money, memberships. TEST notifies local newspapers of all winners. Anyone wishing to nominate a teacher or to be considered for nomination should contact the Awards Committee (link), who will advise nominators and ward candidates.
The "Ptero" Award
TEST recognizes those individuals who have made significant contributions to the teaching of earth science in Tennessee through the Ptero Award. Ptero is the nickname for Tennessee's Official State Fossil, Pterotrigonia (Scabrotrigonia) thoracica (link), designated by act of legislature in 1997. This fossil represents the vast geologic and paleontological riches across Tennessee and commemorates their utility as an educational resource. Recipients receive a plaque with an authentic fossil "Ptero" mounted on the plaque. Past Recipients of the award include:
2005 Pink Palace Museum/CCSC
2004 TN Div of Geology Ron Zurowski and Pete Leminsk
2003 - Bob King
2002 - NancyStetton
2001- Dr. Michael Gibson
2000 - Dr. Don Byerly
1999 - Rep. Mark Maddox & Sen. Roy Herron -
1999 - UT Martin GeoClub
1998 - Linda Jordan, State Science Consultant
Outstanding Earth Science Teacher (OEST) Award
The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (link) presents awards in each state for the Outstanding Earth Science Teacher (link) in that state. Awardees are identified by the TEST Award Committee through its own activities and through nominations made by school administrators, students, and fellow teachers and nominated to NAGT by June of each year. Awardees must submit an application (link) with accompanying documentation, which the TEST Awards Committee will help the candidate assemble. State OEST winners receive a walnut plaque, complimentary NAGT membership and a subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education (link). State winners automatically become candidates for the Southeast Sectional OEST for the following year. Sectional winners receive additional prizes including in NESTA, a set of slides from the National Center for Atmospheric Research, USGS publications, and much more. Past recipients of the Tennessee and Sectional OEST awards include:
2005 - Rose Lummus TN and Southeastern Section
2004 - Tina King TN and Southeastern Section
2003 - Christine Henry TN and Southeastern Section
2002 - Jane Luhn TN and Southeastern Section
2001 - VirginiaCooter TN and Southeastern Section
2000 - Mary Ann Stephens
1999 - Greg Bailey
1998 - Jim Hunt
1997 - Jane Skinner - state OEST & 1998 Southeastern OEST
1997 - Jim Watson
Distinguished Secondary School Science Teacher Award
The Tennessee Academy of Science (link) (TAS) presents its award each year at the TAS annual meeting. The award is presented to someone who has made significant contribution to the teaching of science at middle- and high-school level in Tennessee. Contribution is interpreted broadly to mean contribution to the academic welfare and intellectual growth of secondary students of Tennessee, contribution directly to State or to the quality of life in the State. While the ward is presented by the Tennessee Academy of Science, TEST seeks to identify earth science candidates and sponsors them to TAS for this award. Contents for the nomination packet for this award are available on the TAS web site.
Other Awards
The awards listed above are the primary focus of TEST; however, TEST also seeks to recognize Tennessee earth science teachers through other avenues as well. For example, TEST may sponsor individuals for the Tennessee Academy of Science Distinguished College/University Scientist Award, or Distinguished College/University Teacher Award. The Paleontological Society (link) recognized amateurs and teachers who have contributed to paleontology through the Strimple Award. Past Strimple Award recipients from Tennessee include:
Science Teacher of the Year, Higher Education Award
The Tennessee Science Teachers Association (TSTA) presents its award each year at the TSTA annual meeting. The award is presented to a college-level educator who has made significant contribution to the teaching of science in Tennessee in support of K-12 education primarily. Contribution is interpreted broadly to mean contribution to the academic welfare and intellectual growth of students of Tennessee, contribution directly to State or to the quality of life in the State. While the award is presented by the Tennessee Science Teachers Association, TEST seeks to identify earth science candidates and sponsors them to TSTA for this award. Contents for the nomination packet for this award are available on the TSTA (link) web site.
Dr. Michael A. Gibson - 2003
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Ernest Hammons
Mr. Ernest Hammons, amateur paleontologist from Petersburg, TN, passed away on April 17, after a longillness. Ernest was a past recipient of a "Ptero" Certificate of Appreciation from TEST for his contributions to localteachers and K-12 students. He wasalso a past recipient of the 1989 HarrellL. Strimple Award from the Paleontological Society (Journal of Paleontology, 1990, v. 64, no. 4, pp. 679-70), which is the highest recognition possible from the Society for amateurs, and a recipient of a Citation of Merit from the Governor of Tennessee. Ernest Hammons used his long years of collecting throughout the United States and his active participation in the Mid America Paleontological Society (MAPS) to stock his home with fossils, rocks, and minerals. He turned his entire home and farm into the Eon Museum, which was open daily for visitation at no charge. He "salted" his driveway and gardens with fossil crinoids, brachiopods, large corals, and much more so that students could "find" fossils to keep with every visit. The Eon Museum was a frequent stop during the GeoCamps of the 1990's. Mr. Hammons discovered a rare mutation in a blastoid genus in which the animal developed only 4 feeding "arms" rather than the standard 5 (typical of most echinoderms, such as starfish). Working with otherpaleontologists, the species was named Caryocinites onsbei in honor of his wife.
If you have suggestions for possible awards or awardees, please contact the TEST Award Committee.