Lifetime Achievement Award

The Award

The handcrafted crystal award was created in memory of Dr. Mahaffey and her dedication to advancing public health through research on mercury in the environment. She is remembered as a timeless intellect and a rare scientist who used academic research to aid the development of public policy and to protect human health.

The design of the award represents the multi-faceted nature of mercury research, anchored in both the physical environment and human health. The crystal wraps around a symbolic mercury drop to evoke the protective embrace of Dr. Mahaffey’s legacy. The fluid form of the award captures the mobility of mercury in aquatic environments, while the clear crystal represents the atmosphere, the dominant medium for mercury transport. The natural granite base calls to mind the foundation of mercury research in the geologic sciences and the substantial grounding of our present knowledge in the research conducted by each recipient of this award.

The Kathryn R Mahaffey Lifetime Achievement Award was first established by Dr Alexandra Steffen (Canada) and others at the 10th ICMGP held in Halifax, Canada in 2011. The recipient will receive this handcrafted crystal Lifetime Achievement Award that is transferred between Award recipients at each conference, as well as an award from the host country as a keepsake.

Source: http://mercury2011.org/