James J. Zambito IV

Beloit College

2026 Andrew S. Cohen Award (Mid-Career Award)

It is a pleasure to present the citation for the Andrew S. Cohen Award to James J. Zambito IV in recognition of his remarkable contributions as a mid-career geoscientist.

Jay has addressed a diverse set of basic and applied research questions using cores and subsurface data that have resulted in a breadth of impactful research in lithostratigraphy, paleoclimatology, and contaminant hydrology. Highlights include: (1) a carbon isotopic profile of the Middle Devonian Taghanic Crisis; (2) some of the first detailed lithologic descriptions of the Permian section of western Kansas; (3) documentation of exceptionally high air temperatures and aridity in Permian halite; and (4) identifying natural sources of groundwater contamination in Cambrian sandstone aquifers in Wisconsin.

Jay’s research and mentoring, with a significant inclusion and outreach component, have led to many undergraduate student successes. Finally, Jay has a long and active record of service as a member of the CSD Division.

It is with humility and gratitude that I accept the Andrew S. Cohen Award for Continental Scientific Drilling. Andy was full of curiosity, a committed and generous mentor to numerous students, and a passionate advocate for continental scientific drilling. His legacy guides and inspires me as well as current and future scientists.

I was lucky to learn from mentors who reflected Andy's core values, and I am deeply grateful to them for making a career in science feel attainable for a first-generation student.

My undergraduate advisor, Dr. Judy Massare, was beyond patient with me and taught me how to undertake and communicate research. I am fortunate that in her letters of recommendation she was able to somehow spin my mediocre grades and GPA in a way that still resulted in my acceptance to graduate school. During my master’s degree, my advisor Dr. Chuck Mitchell taught me professionalism, organization, self-reliance and work-life balance. These skills have served me well throughout my career, especially in my current position at an undergraduate liberal arts college with substantial teaching and service loads.

My doctoral advisor, Dr. Carl Brett, has been instrumental in providing me with the knowledge that has helped me succeed and many of the opportunities that have defined my career. Carl helped me outline the initial parameters of my dissertation project on Devonian bioevents but then gave me the freedom to take it in unexpected directions, some of which even challenged his previous work. He is a teacher, mentor, colleague, and truly a friend. I cannot thank Carl enough for letting me tag along at the last minute as his field assistant in Morocco shortly after joining his lab group for a project that was at best tangentially related to my dissertation. This opportunity not only provided me some of my earliest publications but also introduced me to the welcoming research community of the Subcommission on Devonian Stratigraphy that has led to fruitful collaborations throughout my career. I am privileged that my research collaborations with Carl and our colleague and my mentor, Dr. Gordon Baird, have been continuous from my dissertation until today.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunities provided to me by my post-doc supervisor Dr. Kathy Benison and collaborator Dr. Lynn Soreghan. With my scientific training in paleontology and marine sedimentary geology, they took a chance on me when I applied to work on their project studying Permian extreme ephemeral saline lake deposits. Working with Kathy and Lynn has been one of the most transformative experiences of my career. They taught me tools and techniques to successfully undertake research that was initially outside of my comfort zone, giving me the confidence that enables me to follow my scientific curiosity wherever it takes me. I also cannot thank Kathy enough for securing financial support for me at a critical point in my professional career; she is a caring a generous mentor. Both Kathy and Lynn have continued to include me in their research, and I’m especially excited to be a member, along with my students, of the science team on the DeepDust scientific drilling project.

While space prevents me from naming every colleague, my research program owes much of its success to the generous collaboration of the mentors named above and numerous others. I would like to thank Dr. Pat McLaughlin in particular; he has provided years of collaboration, camaraderie, and research opportunities. He has been an invaluable source of knowledge about Midwest U.S. geology and geochemistry that I have relied on heavily. Drs. Jed Day, Jeff Over, and Peter Voice have also been wonderful collaborators that have helped me expand my Devonian research program into the Midwest. My colleagues Mike Parsen and Lisa Haas were instrumental in my foray into natural sources of groundwater contamination sourced from Cambrian strata, which has grown into a productive part of my research program. My departmental colleague, Dr. Jim Rougvie, has been a great collaborator and I thank him for supporting my research agenda at Beloit College.

My students at Beloit College have exceeded all my expectations and have been exceptional research assistants and collaborators. Their enthusiasm and dedication are truly inspiring, driving both my own work and the growth of our research program. I especially appreciate that they challenge me to question my assumptions and push my research in new and exciting directions.

I’ve been fortunate to have my research and outreach funded by a variety of organizations, institutions, and foundations, including the NSF, USGS, ACS PRF, Paleontological Society, Keck Geology Consortium, WGNHS, and Beloit College. All these sources have played an important role in my research program but more importantly provided opportunities for my undergraduate students. Funding for science is crucial for our economy, societal well-being, and solving global challenges. I hope our elected leaders have the courage to protect this essential investment in our future and uphold the independence of science from political influence.

Most importantly, I’d like to thank my family. My spouse and best friend, Shannon, has been incredibly understanding of my demanding work and travel schedule. My in-laws and sister have been extremely generous with their time in helping us with childcare when I’m out of town. My children remind me daily of the important things in life and inspire me to be the best person I can be.

I am deeply grateful to the Continental Scientific Drilling Division Awards Committee for the Andrew S. Cohen Award. In accepting it, I commit to striving every day to live up to Andy’s remarkable legacy as a curious researcher, generous mentor to students of all backgrounds, and a dedicated advocate for continental scientific drilling.