Duration:  From 2003 (Ongoing)

Funding Source:   Maurice J. Terman Research Fund of the Geological Society of America Foundation 

Project Summary / Brief Description

$100,000 GSA Fund was created by the late CCOP Honorary Advisor Maurice J. "Ric” Terman in 2003; contributions,particularly from commercial companies active in East Asia, will be well publicized. The Fund’s assets may permit the continuing annual award of $5,000 plus travel funds to support the recipients travel to receive the award.

One-year Grants will fund PhD theses or Post-Doctoral research of East Asian scientists. Understanding that a Ph.D. degree is a multi-year effort, the intent is to finance the final year to complete a thesis of longer-term post-doctoral research effort, such that a tangible publishable final product results within a finite time after the award.  However the receiving country has the option of forwarding applications for two $2,500 awards to complete the final year by two researchers for master’s degrees, again with tangible publishable final products. The language of publication will follow the standard usage for these in the receiving country with an extended abstract in English.

EAGER is implemented annually as per a formal agreement between GSA International of the Geological Society of America (GSA) and the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP).

Goals/Objectives

The purpose of the Fund is to promote and support The East Asia Geoscience and Environmental Research (EAGER) project that supports geoscience and environmental research in the member countries of the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programs in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP). 

Scope

Open to all Ph.D. and Master students in CCOP Member Countries.

Outcome  

Thirteen (13) recipients of this grant: Malaysia (2003), Japan (2004), China (2005), Korea (2006), Philippines (2007), Thailand (2009), Vietnam (2009), Indonesia (2010), Thailand (2011), Malaysia (2012), Japan (2013); China (2015), Mongolia (2019), Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar (2021), Cambodia (2022) and Myanmar (2023).

The 2019 EAGER Grant was awarded at the 55th CCOP Annual Session held in Chiangmai, Thailand, 4-9 November 2019.  On behalf of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Mr Ioannis Abatzis, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, together with Datuk Shahar Effendi Abdullah Azizi, Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee and Dr Young Joo Lee, CCOPTS Director presented the EAGER Award in the form of USD 5,000 cheque and Certificates from GSA and CCOP to Mrs Sodnom Oyungerel, for her research proposal “The geological, geochemical and ore genesis studies of an ore field at the Tavt gold deposit in Northern Mongolia”. Mrs Sodnom Oyungerel is a Ph.D. candidate from Mongolia studying in Seoul National University, Republic of Korea.

The 2021 EAGER Grant was awarded at the 57th CCOP Annual Session Vitual Meeting, 23-24 November 2021.  On behalf of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Mr Ioannis Abatzis, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, together with Dr. Li Jinfa, Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee and Dr Young Joo Lee, CCOPTS Director presented virtually the EAGER Award in the form of USD 5,000 cheque and Certificates from GSA and CCOP to two successful EAGER winners have been officially recognized at the Session.  Ms. Siti Lieyana Binti Mohd Azffri, Ph.D. student of the Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.  Her research proposal is entitled “Ground and Surface Water Quality Investigations for Irrigation Purposes in Brunei Darussalam.”  Mr. Zaw Zaw Thein, Ph.D. student of the Department of Geology, University of Yangon, Myanmar. His research proposal is entitled “Assessment and Analysis of Landslides in Mawchi Mine, Pasawng Township, Bawlake District, Kayah State, Myanmar.”

The 2022 EAGER Grant was awarded at the 58th CCOP Annual Session held in Bandung, Indonesia, 9-12 October 2022.  On behalf of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Mr. Ioannis Abatzis, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, together with Dr. Eko Budi Lelono, Vice-Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee and Dr. Young Joo Lee, CCOPTS Director presented the EAGER Award in the form of USD 5,000 cheque and Certificates from GSA and CCOP to Mr. Kimhak NEAK, for his research proposal “Analysis of Integrated Petrophysical and Petrographical Studies for Characterization of Reservoirs:  A Case Study of Cambodian Block A in Khmer Basin, Gulf of Thailand”. Mr. Kimhak NEAK is currently a Ph. D. candidate in the research unit for Energy Technology and Management (ETM), Institute Technology of Cambodia.

The 2023 EAGER Grant was awarded at the 59th CCOP Annual Session held in Khao Lak, Phang Nga, Thailand, 29 October to 2 November 2023.  On behalf of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Mr. Ioannis Abatzis, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, together with Dr. Shinsuke Nakao, Vice-Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee, and Dr. Young Joo Lee, CCOPTS Director, presented the East Asian Geoscience and Environmental Research (EAGER) / Ric Terman Award of USD 5,000 cash and certificate from GSA and CCOP, to  Mr. Hein Min Htet, PhD Candidate at the Department of Geology, University of Yangon.  His Research Proposal is titled, “Integrated Geomorphological and Hydrological Analysis for Flood Hazard Assessment in the Ngawun River Basin, Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar”, supervised by the renown Dr. Day Wa Aung, Head & Professor at the Department of Geology, University of Yangon.  

The 2024 EAGER Grant was awarded at the 60^th CCOP Annual Session held in Langkawi Island, Kedah, Malaysia, 3-8 November 2024.  On behalf of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Mr. Ioannis Abatzis, Chairperson of the CCOP Advisory Group, together with Dr. Shinsuke Nakao, Vice-Chairperson of the CCOP Steering Committee, and Dr. Young Joo Lee, CCOPTS Director, presented the East Asian Geoscience and Environmental Research (EAGER) / Ric Terman Award of USD 5,000 cash and certificate from GSA and CCOP, to  Mr. Muhammad Fattahulazizan bin Hj Jaman, PhD Candidate in Computer Information System (Part Time), University Teknologi Brunei, Brunei Darussalam.  His Research Proposal is titled, “Strategic Roadmap for Integrating Digital Twin Technology in Urban Planning using Big Data and GIS: A Case Study of Brunei Darussalam”, supervised by Dr. Ravi Kumar Patchmuthu (School of Computing and Informatics), Dr. Uditha Ratnayake (Faculty of Engineering), and Dr. Hjh Nor Zainah Siau (School of Computing and Informatics).