Maurice Ewing Medal

Established in 1974 and jointly sponsored with the United States Navy, the Ewing Medal is named in honor of Maurice Ewing, who made significant contributions to deep-sea exploration. The Ewing Medal is awarded not more than once annually to an individual geoscientist “for significant original contributions to the scientific understanding of the processes in the ocean; for the advancement of oceanographic engineering, technology, and instrumentation; and for outstanding service to the marine sciences.” Walter H. Munk was the first recipient of the Ewing Medal.

Maurice Ewing was singularly responsible for the development of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University and served as its founding director from 1949 to 1972. Thereafter, he founded the Earth and Planetary Sciences division at the University of Texas Marine Sciences Institute. Ewing and his colleagues wrote more than 340 research papers, covering marine geophysics, seismic refraction and reflection, oceanic gravity measurements, sound transmission in seawater, ocean bottom photography, and Pleistocene glacial-interglacial oscillations.

Maurice Ewing Biography

Frequency:

Presented to one medalist annually.

Citation/Scope Statement:

For significant original contributions to the scientific understanding of the processes in the ocean; for the advancement of oceanographic engineering, technology, and instrumentation; and for outstanding service to the marine sciences.

Physical Description:

  • Presentation piece description: engrave; silver oxidoze medal; cherry case.