David Gibson receives a national Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for something he loves to do.
By April Mulherin
The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) recently confirmed what students of David Gibson have long known to be true: the veteran UMF professor of geology is an outstanding teacher and mentor.
In September, the CUR made it official by presenting Gibson with its 2019 Undergraduate Research Mentor Award at the Geological Society of America’s national conference in Phoenix.
David Gibson, professor of geology and 2019 recipient of the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. (Photo by Marc Glass.)
Created in 2011, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research, the award is given annually to recognize the critical work of a geoscience faculty member who serves as a role model for productive and transformative student-faculty mentoring relationships.
For Gibson, being “recognized for something you love to do is pretty special.”
“I am so honored to receive this award,” he says. “There are so many people who I’d like to thank, including my late colleague emeritus professor Dr. Thomas Eastler, who nominated me for the award, my mentor colleague and friend Dr. Ian Meighan from the Queen’s University of Belfast, where I did my undergraduate degree, and especially my wife, Hilary, without whom none of this would be possible.”
Mentorship from a faculty member has long been considered one of the most important factors that determine student success in college. And research from Gallup shows that college graduates are twice as likely to be engaged at work if they had a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams.
“We are extremely proud of Dr. Gibson. He is a testament to the importance of faculty mentoring,” says UMF President Edward Serna. “He has shown time and time again how caring about, challenging, and engaging with students helps them to become confident professionals.”
Since his first days at UMF in 1996, Gibson has combined his two passions — interest in his students and dedication to geologic field research. A devoted educator and mentor, he leads by example with an inspiring commitment to help his students prepare for careers in the field of geology or the rigors and challenges of graduate school.
“I learned a long time ago that demonstrating to students the interesting research that we as geologists do and engaging them in that research motivates them to learn,” says Gibson.
From his early days in academia, he has looked for opportunities outside of the classroom for his students to gain knowledge and confidence through participation in undergraduate research, class field trips, and professional conferences. His goal of providing students with field-based research experience has led him to organize and teach geology travel courses in Ireland, Scotland, the Canadian Maritimes, and the American southwest.
“Research in the field is one of the essential tools of the trade and something students are eager to be involved in,” says Gibson. “If you see a convoy of vans parked on the side of the road with me leading a group of 15 or so enthusiastic students, you can assume we are examining something of particular geologic interest.”
Sumaya Hamdi ’17, a master’s candidate in geosciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, says she was inspired to major in geology by Gibson’s knowledge, dedication, and enthusiasm.
The field work led by Gibson, “was fascinating,” says Hamdi, “and I could always count on (him) to be ready to teach, encourage, and be available to help.”
Gibson was a mentor and a trusted advisor throughout Hamdi’s undergraduate years and continues to serve as a member of her thesis committee at UMass–Amherst.
“There is a bond to being one of Dr. Gibson’s students,” says Hamdi. “He never stops being interested, and he never stops caring. I consider him one of my dearest friends and colleagues and am thrilled that has continued on to my graduate school research.”
An igneous petrologist/geochemist whose research focuses on the petrogenesis of central Maine magmatism, Gibson earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees at Queen’s University Belfast. In 2010, he was named UMF Trustee Professor, an honor conferred by the University and the University of Maine System to promote excellence in academic programs by providing faculty members with the opportunity and support to pursue continued in-depth scholarly work. Gibson’s Trustee Professorship research involved using UMF’s X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer lab to examine the composition of volcanic ash observed in glaciers and ice sheets and thus elucidate eruptive history and the role that plays in impacting climate variations.
This fall Gibson and his students are continuing to research basaltic intrusions as well as granitic rocks in southwestern Maine, with plans to present their findings at spring 2020 geology and earth science conferences.