Who is eligible:
Continuing graduate students (primarily) or undergraduate students whose studies are focused on mineralogy or petrology (igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary).
Amount/purpose:
Typically $500 for tuition, fees, or books.
When to apply:
Applications are accepted for review in April-May for awards to be made the following school year.
How to apply:
Submit a one-page resume and a statement of research interests and goals as they pertain to the field of mineralogy or petrology (no more than one page in length also) to the Chair of the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Davis Hall 312. Grades will be used in evaluating applicants.
Ira Edgar “Ed” Odom (1932 – 2003) earned his B.S. degree in geology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He arrived at Northern Illinois University in 1964 and served as a faculty member and professor of geology and mineralogy until his retirement in 1981. During his tenure in the department, Ed helped to establish the department’s electron microprobe and scanning electron microscope laboratories, and served as mentor and adviser to numerous graduate students who went on to productive careers in the fields of clay mineralogy and petroleum geology. From 1981 until 1994 Ed served as vice president for Research and Development at the American Colloid Company. After 1994 Ed served as a private consultant for a variety of industrial mineral companies.