ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Dr. Sandra A. Glass, program vice president of the W.M. Keck Foundation, will receive the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Public Understanding of Geology, presented annually by the American Geological Institute (AGI), on Tuesday, Oct., 21, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The reception and awards ceremony will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m., in the Arizona Room of the Little America Hotel. AGI's awards ceremony takes place each fall during the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), an affiliated member society of the institute.

Dr. Glass joined the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1982 and became the foundation's program vice president for higher education in science, engineering, and liberal arts grants in 1993. For 15 years, she has been the person responsible for the foundation's grants in the earth sciences. During this period, the Keck Foundation awarded 117 grants, totalling more than $60 million, to universities and colleges for earth-science research and education.

During the 10 years preceding her appointment to the W.M. Keck Foundation, Dr. Glass served as Associate Vice President for Development at Claremont University Center. Previous positions included Director of Development, Director of Foundation Relations, and Assistant to the President at Pomona College.

She holds a Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate School and has taught English at Pomona College, Pitzer College, Scripps College, and at California State Polytechnic University Pomona. Dr. Glass is a member of several professional and honorary societies including Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, the Southern California Association for Philanthropy, and Society for Values in Higher Education.

The American Geological Institute's awards ceremony honors a select group of people who benefit and influence the geoscience profession. The Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Public Understanding of Geology is presented to a person, organization, or institution each year. The contribution may relate to geology as a science or to geology as it affects the economy and environment of modern civilization.

The ceremony also recognizes the recipients of approximately 100 minority scholarships awarded annually by AGI, and pays tribute to the many professional geoscientist volunteers and supporters who contribute to the success of AGI's programs.