Feature Stories
Virgil Sharpton, '79
After his graduation from Grand Valley State University with a
bachelor’s degree in geology, Vice Chancellor for Research at
University of Alaska Fairbanks Virgil Sharpton, ’79 went on to receive
his master’s and doctoral degrees from Brown University.
His
early career began with research positions at Grand Valley and Brown
Universities. He also earned fellowships with Brown University and
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
These positions led to NASA’s Lunar and Planetary Institute where he
would first work as a visiting then as senior staff scientist.
In 1998, Sharpton would join the faculty of University of Alaska
Fairbanks while maintaining appointments with the Geophysical
Institute and the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the College
of Natural Science and Mathematics. In 2006, he accepted his present
position as Vice Chancellor for Research.
Sharpton’s
published works include numerous books and articles
in Science, Nature, and the Journal of Geophysical Research. He has
been awarded with such honors as the Government of Canada Group
Achievement Award and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Group Achievement Award.
He and his wife
Susan, currently reside in Fairbanks, Alaska.
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