Four Geophysical Institute students were part a team of University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate students who won first place and $1,000 at a regional Imperial Barrel Awards competition recently. 

Olaniyi Ajadi, Casey Denny, Rachel Frohman, Alec Rizzo, graduate students who work on GI research projects, will join Tyson Forbush to compete at the international IBA competition on May 7 in Pittsburgh. All five are from the geology and geophysics department within UAF’s
College of Natural Science and Mathematics.

Catherine Hanks, an associate professor in the GI’s tectonics and sedimentation research group, is the UAF team advisor and is also Rizzo’s academic advisor. Wes Wallace, professor in the GI’s tectonics and sedimentation research group, advises Frohman.

Franz Meyer, GI associate professor in microwave remote sensing, is Ajadi’s and Denny’s academic advisor.

“I think it shows a level of leadership,” Meyer said. “It was a load for them. They all had class work to finish in addition to taking on the competition project. It shows their level of dedication to the represent the university.”

UAF competed against four other universities from California to win first place in the regional competition. California State University-Long Beach came in second and San Diego State University came in third.