Geological Society of London's President's AwardHamburg-based researcher wins young investigators award

15 March 2024, by Manuel Weidler

Photo: Manuel Weidler

Award winner Monica Alejandra Gomez Correa is an important symbol of more diversity in the geosciences.

Doctoral candidate Monica Alejandra Gomez Correa has now become the first Latin American woman to receive a highly prestigious award for young investigators in the geosciences – the President’s Award, bestowed by the Geological Society of London. The award reflects her research performance at the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability at Universität Hamburg as well as her efforts to promote diversity in the geosciences.

New findings on the largest mass extinction event in our planet’s history
“Using fossils, you can read Earth’s history just like a book – which allows us to learn from past climate crises and develop strategies for those that we’re currently experiencing,” says Gomez Correa, a paleobiologist. Her current research focus is on the greatest mass extinction event on Earth, roughly 250 million years ago, when massive volcanic eruptions in today’s Siberia released huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As a result, the global mean temperature soared, oxygen became sparse, and the oceans became uninhabitable for many organisms: a death sentence for at least 80% of the species alive at the time. To grasp why some species survived and others didn’t, Gomez Correa is investigating the fossils of small ostracods (or “seed shrimp”) from before, during and after this climate crisis.

What sets her work apart: she’s looking into which organisms survived in which places, which allows her for the first time to determine population sizes or the sizes of the animals’ bodies. As a result, conclusions can be drawn on the animals’ survival strategies and their relative success. In turn, her findings can help to improve climate forecasts and find answers to questions on anthropogenic climate change.

Award for outstanding research and volunteer work
“Monica Alejandra’s was chosen to receive a President’s Award for her excellent balance of academic achievement alongside her community and outreach work. I congratulate Monica on her outstanding contributions, dedication, and commitment to advancing our subject,” says Ruth Allington, President of the Geological Society of London. “I wish to congratulate Monica on her outstanding achievements, her dedication, and her contributions to the evolution of our field.” For the past several years, Gomez Correa has been part of the "GeoLatinas" network, the goal of which is to promote diversity in the geosciences. “Monica Alejandra is an inspiration and role model for the current and next generation of researchers. By making minorities more visible, she strengthens a global sense of community. We’re very proud of her!” say Rocío Paola Caballero-Gill and Rehemat Bhatia – two of Gomez Correa’s fellow "GeoLatinas" members, who nominated her for the award. “I’m very happy to see my work recognized with this award,” says Gomez Correa. “I’m the first Latin American woman to ever receive it.”

About the award
The Geological Society of London’s President’s Award is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious awards for young investigators in the geosciences. Accompanied by a cash prize of 250 British pounds, it is awarded annually to individuals who “show significant early promise and are judged to have potential to be future leaders in their fields.” The Geological Society of London is the world’s oldest geological society and, with more than 12,000 members, the largest of its kind in Europe.