DENIN is proud to announce that former director Dr. Donald Sparks has been honored with the H.C. Urey Award by the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG), the group’s highest distinction.
Sparks conducted a myriad of work at the University of Delaware across his 45-year career. He helped establish soil science research at UD through the Environmental Soil Chemistry Lab and the Institute of Soil and Environmental Quality. His soil sciences research has contributed to hundreds of publications and presentations, and he is credited with helping mentor dozens of graduate and post-graduate students. In 2009, Sparks became the founding director of DENIN, identifying that Delaware’s environmental issues require interdisciplinary solutions and cross-organizational collaboration. He led the Institute for twelve years.
The Urey Award is given to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in the field of geochemistry, both in scientific contributions and broader impacts including mentorship and outreach. The EAG recognized Sparks for his research on geochemical kinetics and surface chemistry in soils, and how soil science phenomena is affected by the impacts of climate change. He is the first soil scientist to receive the award.
We congratulate Dr. Sparks on his award and his resoundingly clear impact on the advancement of soil sciences and UD’s environmental work.
Read more about Sparks’ legacy on UDaily.