Professor emeritus of the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hawaii in Mānoa, was honored by the Asia-Oceania Geoscience Society with the Wing Ip Medal “For his selfless cooperation and leadership in geosciences in the Asia-Oceania region. “

For over 45 years, Gregory Moore studied Asian geology by mapping the structure and stratigraphy of deep sea trenches, subduction zones, mud volcanoes and more. It was one EUH Mānoa teacher at School of Earth and Ocean Science and Technology from 1989 to 2020. Previously, he was Associate Professor at the University of Tulsa and Assistant Research Geologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Throughout his research, Moore worked with organizations such as the Indonesian Institute of Science, the Geological Survey of Indonesia, the Philippine Bureau of Mines and Geology, the Japan Agency for Marine Science and Technology and terrestrials, University of Tokyo, National Taiwan University, Myanmar Geoscience Society. and the Singapore Earth Observatory and its staff, who assisted with logistics and accompanied Moore in the field and on research cruises.

“The continued success of my field studies was only possible with the help, participation and local knowledge of many colleagues from Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar and New Zealand. -Zeeland, which I warmly thank all of you, ”said Moore. .

Mapping of the Asia Oceania region

While in graduate school at Cornell University, Moore spent three seasons in the field mapping the structure and stratigraphy of Nias Island, Indonesia. While at Scripps, he jointly led a marine geophysical cruise in the Sunda Trench off Java and Sumatra and conducted fieldwork in Indonesia and the Philippines; and jointly conducted a seismic cruise in the Taiwan collision zone.

Moore began a decades-long investigation of the Nankai Trough subduction zone in 1987 during a joint cruise with colleagues from the University of Tokyo and the University of Texas and collaborative analyzes of seismic data collected by Japanese colleagues. While continuing his studies on Nankai, he also investigated mud volcanoes in Rakhine State in Myanmar, joined an expedition to the Hikurangi margin in New Zealand, and is currently analyzing a 3d Hikurangi seismic dataset.

“It is very nice to have the recognition of a regional geoscience society for my continued work in Southeast Asia and its relevance, not only for the science of subduction zones, but also for capacity building. “in the area,” Moore said. “By working with young scientists and passing on our experience to them, we increase their capacity to conduct their own research to better understand the natural hazards and natural resources of their country.

This work is an example of EUH Mānoa’s goal of Research Excellence: Advancing the Business of Research and Creative Work (PDF), one of the four objectives identified in the Strategic plan 2015–25 (PDF), updated in December 2020.

–By Marcie Grabowski