Society of Exploration Geophysicists Announces 2026 Honors and Awards Recipients

The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) has announced its 2026 Honors and Awards recipients. Craig J. Beasley is the recipient of SEG’s highest honor, the Maurice Ewing Medal, awarded to an individual deserving of special recognition for making major contributions to both the science and profession of exploration geophysics.

Beasley is recognized for his distinguished contributions to the advancement of exploration geophysics and the profession. His leadership in the development and deployment of advanced imaging, simultaneous source technologies, and innovative marine survey design has fundamentally transformed seismic acquisition and imaging, particularly in complex environments such as subsalt. These contributions have been widely adopted as standard industry practice and have significantly improved exploration outcomes worldwide. In addition to his technical achievements, he has demonstrated exceptional service to the profession, including serving as SEG President and founding Geoscientists without Borders®, creating lasting societal impact beyond the industry. His career reflects the advancement of both the science and the profession of exploration geophysics, exemplifying the highest standards recognized by the Maurice Ewing Medal.

The Society’s second-highest honor, Honorary Membership, is conferred upon individuals who have made distinguished contributions to exploration geophysics or related fields, or who have significantly advanced the profession through service to the Society. This year’s recipient is Michael C. Forrest.

Forrest’s distinguished career combines pioneering technical contributions with decades of exceptional service to the Society and the broader geophysical community. Widely known for his early recognition and development of direct hydrocarbon indicators, commonly referred to as “bright spots,” his work helped transform seismic interpretation and contributed to major exploration successes worldwide. Equally significant is his sustained commitment to SEG, particularly through the SEG Foundation, where he served as a Board member and Chair, leading major fundraising efforts and establishing enduring programs that support students and humanitarian initiatives. A dedicated mentor and advocate, he has played an important role in advancing programs such as EVOLVE and fostering the next generation of geoscientists. He continues to contribute his time, insight, and leadership, reflecting a lifetime of achievement and service worthy of this honor.

Dario Grana is the recipient of the Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal, awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution, either technical or professional in nature, to the advancement of geophysical exploration.

Grana is recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to Bayesian inversion, statistical learning, and probabilistic rock physics. His work has advanced the fundamental science of geophysical exploration while delivering practical methodologies widely applicable to industry challenges. His contributions over the past five years are distinguished by their breadth, depth, and relevance, particularly in areas critical to the evolving energy landscape, including carbon sequestration and the energy transition. By integrating advanced mathematical methods with rock physics and geophysical data, he has developed robust frameworks that enhance subsurface characterization and uncertainty quantification. His work provides a strong scientific foundation for emerging exploration technologies and reflects the innovation and impact recognized by this award.

The Reginald Fessenden Award recipients are Per Avseth and Weichang Li. This honor is awarded to those who have made a specific technical contribution to exploration geophysics, such as an invention or a theoretical or conceptual advancement, which merits special recognition.

Avseth is recognized for his exceptional contributions to rock physics and amplitude variation with offset (AVO) analysis, including the development of widely used rock physics templates for well log and seismic data interpretation. He is also the co-author of Quantitative Seismic Interpretation, a foundational text that has provided clarity and practical guidance to students and practitioners in applied seismic rock physics. Through his research, publications, and industry applications, including his work with Dig Technology, which he co-founded, he has successfully bridged the gap between rock physics and geology, advancing the practical use of seismic methods in exploration and characterization.

Li is recognized for his foundational technical contributions to the application of advanced machine learning in exploration geophysics. He pioneered the practical use of semi-supervised learning for seismic interpretation, including early work utilizing generative adversarial networks (GANs) published in Geophysics. He has also developed and patented methods for transforming distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data into geophone-equivalent measurements and has advanced physics-informed machine learning approaches that integrate physical principles with artificial intelligence. With an extensive record of innovation, including numerous patents and publications, his work has significantly advanced the application of machine learning in geophysical exploration and set new standards for the field.

SEG awards Life Membership this year to Xiangyun Hu, Ruben D. Martinez, and Colin M. Sayers for their exceptional service to the Society.

Hu is recognized for his significant contributions to resource exploration and Earth structure imaging using gravity, magnetic, and electromagnetic methods. His extensive body of work includes hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, including numerous papers published in Geophysics. His research has advanced both the theory and application of geophysical data processing and interpretation, with impact across a wide range of exploration and imaging challenges. Through his leadership, innovation, and active engagement within the geophysical community, he has established a distinguished career that exemplifies the values of SEG.

Martinez is recognized for his enduring contributions to applied geophysics, marked by a career that combines technical innovation with impactful field implementation. His work has advanced the practical application of geophysical methods in complex subsurface environments. Through his leadership, mentorship, and longstanding service to the profession, he has helped shape the next generation of geoscientists. His commitment to excellence and sustained contributions exemplify the values of SEG.

Sayers is recognized for his pioneering contributions to rock physics and seismic anisotropy, which have significantly advanced the understanding of subsurface properties and their relationship to seismic response. His work has become foundational in both academia and industry, enabling more accurate reservoir characterization and interpretation. In addition to his technical achievements, his dedication to education, publication, and professional service has had a lasting global impact. His career reflects sustained excellence and contributions that exemplify the values of SEG.

The J. Clarence Karcher Award is given in recognition of significant contributions to the science and technology of exploration geophysics by a young geophysicist of outstanding abilities. Recipients must be less than 35 years of age on 1 November of the year preceding presentation of the award. This year’s recipients are Mingliang Liu, Hongyu Sun, and Yunan Yang.

Liu is recognized for his innovative integration of rock physics, Bayesian inference, and physics-driven artificial intelligence into a unified framework for intelligent geophysics. He is a professor at Shandong University and serves as an Associate Editor for Geophysics. His work addresses critical challenges in carbon capture and storage by enabling reliable quantitative characterization and monitoring of subsurface CO₂ behavior. Within a short period following completion of his Ph.D., he has established foundational contributions to intelligent subsurface imaging and successfully translated these advances into operational applications. His work has had a direct and growing impact on one of the most important emerging areas in applied geophysics.

Sun is recognized for her leadership as Principal Investigator of a National Science Foundation initiative advancing the integration of artificial intelligence and geosciences. She is a professor at The University of Texas at El Paso and leads the project Collaborative Research: CAIG: Multi-task and Multi-scale Deep Learning Inversion for Geophysical Imaging and Monitoring, part of the NSF Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG) program, one of the Foundation’s flagship efforts to advance AI-driven Earth science. Awarded only a few years after completing her Ph.D., her selection as Principal Investigator reflects early and exceptional contributions to geophysical imaging and monitoring, as well as the growing impact of her work within the broader scientific community.

Yang is recognized for her pioneering contributions to the integration of optimal transport theory into full-waveform inversion. She is a professor of mathematics at Cornell University. Her research seeks to replace the traditional least-squares misfit function proposed by the late Albert Tarantola in the 1980s with Wasserstein-based metrics from optimal transport, a powerful tool from mathematical analysis. This work addresses longstanding challenges, including sensitivity to local minima and noise, and provides a more stable and physically meaningful inversion framework. Her contributions have improved the accuracy and robustness of subsurface imaging and advanced the practical application of full-waveform inversion for large-scale, real-world datasets.

Sergio Chávez-Pérez is the recipient of the Special Commendation Award, which recognizes deserving persons for meritorious service to the public, the scientific community, or to the profession.

Chávez-Pérez is recognized for more than 25 years of sustained, high-impact service to the geophysical profession, the academic community, and the broader public. His leadership within Society of Exploration Geophysicists and other scientific societies, combined with his dedication to mentorship and international collaboration, has advanced the practice and accessibility of geophysics across borders, particularly throughout the Americas. His record of service reflects a longstanding commitment to professional excellence, collaboration, and the advancement of the geophysical community – qualities that merit this distinguished recognition.

Alexander Mihai Popovici of Z-Terra Inc. is the recipient of the Cecil Green Enterprise Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated courage, ingenuity, and achievement while risking their own resources and future in developing a product, service, organization, or activity that represents a distinct and worthy contribution to the industry.

Popovici is recognized for building innovative, technology-driven companies that have advanced seismic imaging and improved industry efficiency. From his earlier work with 3DGeo to his leadership at Z-Terra Inc., he has consistently translated novel concepts, including wave-equation imaging, beam migration, and diffraction imaging, into practical, production-ready solutions. His work has reduced seismic processing turnaround times while improving image quality, enabling better decision-making and risk management in exploration and development.

In addition to his technical and entrepreneurial achievements, Popovici has made sustained contributions to Society of Exploration Geophysicists through leadership and service. He has served on the SEG Board of Directors as Second and First Vice President and has been actively involved with the SEG Foundation, supporting initiatives such as Geoscientists Without Borders. He has also contributed as an associate editor, conference leader, and mentor, supporting students and early-career professionals through training and outreach. His career reflects the innovation, leadership, and impact recognized by this award.

This year’s Outstanding Educator Award recipients are Abdulatif Al Shuhail and Heather Bedle. This award honors individuals for excellence in geophysics education and is awarded to those who merit such recognition, based on their educational qualities and contributions.

Al Shuhail is recognized for his exceptional contributions to education and research, particularly in the Middle East, through a distinguished academic career. He founded and served as Principal Investigator of the first research consortium at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and chaired its Geosciences Department. He also led the establishment of the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in geophysics at KFUPM. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing geophysics education within the university and across the Kingdom, contributing to the growth of academic programs and the broader research environment in the region. These programs have played a key role in developing geophysical talent supporting regional industry, including organizations such as Saudi Aramco. SEG recognizes his significant and sustained impact on geophysical education, mentorship, and program development in the Middle East.

Bedle is recognized for her sustained and exceptional contributions to geoscience education through leadership, community engagement, and program development that extend well beyond routine academic responsibilities. She serves as Faculty Advisor for the SEG Student Chapter at The University of Oklahoma, where she has built a nationally recognized and highly active student organization focused on professional development, technical excellence, and inclusivity. Bedle has provided extensive service to the broader geophysical community through long-term mentorship across numerous national and international programs, including Society of Exploration Geophysicists initiatives. Under her guidance, student teams have consistently achieved top national and international placements, reflecting her strong commitment to experiential learning and professional preparation. SEG recognizes her continued and meaningful contributions to geophysical education and her dedication to expanding opportunities and access for students.

Robert R. Stewart is the recipient of the Craig J. Beasley Award for Social Contribution, which recognizes individuals or organizations that have made meritorious achievements supporting the application of geophysics to humanitarian, public service, or other socially significant causes.

Stewart is recognized for his exemplary leadership in applying geophysics to humanitarian challenges through Geoscientists without Borders (GWB)®. His work includes advancing the understanding of seismic risk in Haiti, advising on hazard mitigation for gas-charged Lake Kivu in Rwanda, and leading the “Dignity in Depth” project to identify unmarked burials in African American cemeteries. Through these efforts, he has demonstrated the vital role of geophysics in improving public safety, preserving cultural heritage, and serving communities in need.

In addition to the aforementioned awards, the Society also celebrates authors of the best papers published in 2025 issues of Interpretation, The Leading Edge, and Geophysics. These individuals have made significant and profound contributions to our science, profession, and Society. Best paper nominations are solicited from the membership at large and voted on by the respective editorial boards and presented to the SEG Board for final approval.

The full list of this year’s award recipients is:

Maurice Ewing Award – Craig J. Beasley
Honorary Membership – Michael C. Forrest
Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal – Dario Grana
Reginald Fessenden Award – Per Avseth and Weichang Li
Life Membership – Xiangyun Hu, Ruben D. Martinez, and Colin M. Sayers
J. Clarence Karcher – Mingliang Liu, Hongyu Sun, and Yunan Yang
Special Commendation – Sergio Chávez-Pérez
Cecil Green Enterprise Award – Alexander Mihai Popovici (Z-Terra Inc.)
Outstanding Educator – Heather Bedle and Abdullatif Abdulrahman Al-Shuhail
Craig J. Beasley Award for Social Contribution – Robert R. Stewart
Best Paper in GEOPHYSICS in 2025 – “Acquisition and imaging of ocean-bottom fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing data using a full-shot carpet from a conventional 3D survey,” Espen Birger Raknes, Bjarte Foseide, and Geir Jansson
Best Paper in The Leading Edge in 2025 – “Contrastive learning in building vision-language models for subsurface geoscience,” Anatoly Aseev, Jiayuan Huang, and Priya Mishra
Best Paper in Interpretation in 2025 – “Poroelasticity and rock-physics templates,” Brian Russell, Bill Goodway, and Per Avseth

More information on the SEG Honors and Awards program can be found on the SEG website.