The People Behind the Foshag-Hronik-Dhyse Award

by Ed Fisher, MSDC Member and Past President

Dr. Foshag (1894-1956) earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and was with the Smithsonian from 1919. From 1929 to 1941 he served as the Curator of the Division of Physical and Chemical Geology, and also the curator of the Division of Minerology and Petrology until 1948. From 1948 he headed the Department of Geology until his death in 1956.  We believe he was a charter member of the MSDC (1942).  He left an endowment that was the initial basis of the award, which was named in his honor, and was intended to go to a deserving student of the earth sciences at an institution in the NCR.  Technically, the award still bears his name.

Dick Hronik was a very active, respected, and long-term member of the society.  Fred and Sue Dhyse, like Dick, were active and respected members.  Both Dick and the Dyhses left sizeable portions of their collections to the Society, and the resulting sales have added to the funds available for the award.