Totten Award

The Iris Moreno Totten Geoscience Education Research Award Fund promotes research in geoscience education, geocognition, or related fields that investigate the ways in which people interact with, understand, and connect to Earth and Earth processes. This award addresses the need to promote and disseminate high quality research into best practices for training the general public and students, fundamental characteristics of how people perceive and interact with the Earth, and relationships between knowledge, affect, and behavior.

This award will be given to the author(s) of one or more studies presented at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America 
in the "Iris Moreno Totten Research in Geoscience Education Session" chaired by the GED. A committee of judges will select at least one presentation. Undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career faculty and professionals are eligible to receive this award.    


Iris was a fearless teacher and brilliant researcher who gave freely of herself to assist both students and colleagues to advance our understanding of how people learn about the Earth and the field of geoscience education overall. She was not afraid to tread the waters of controversy in pursuit of an inclusive geoscientifically literate society. We believe the establishment of this award is a fitting way to honor her contributions to our profession.  Please take time to read and reply to appeals from the Foundation and give as generously as you are able. Gifts and pledges of up to 3-years may be made via the GSA Foundation secure website: https://gsa-foundation.org/donate or send checks to: 

GSA Foundation,
PO Box 9140,

Boulder, CO 80301
MF: Totten Award Fund

Contact the Foundation if you have questions about how to make a gift: (303) 357-1054 or jtyler@geosociety.org.