Virgil L. Sharpton

Infobox_Scientist
name = Virgil L. Sharpton


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field = Synthetic aperture radar: multispectral and other remotely acquired image data sets; image processing; and instrumental geochemical techniques
work_institution = University of Alaska Fairbanks
alma_mater = Grand Valley State University (B.S., 1979), Brown University (M.S. 1981; Ph.D., 1984)
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known_for = Remote sensing, Planetary geology and Impact cratering
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Virgil L. (Buck) Sharpton was named Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in May 2006. He joined the faculty at the UAF in 1998 with a joint appointment between the Geophysical Institute and the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the [http://www.uaf.edu/cnsm/ College of Natural Science and Mathematics] and was awarded tenure in 2000. In 2001, he was awarded one of the six presidential professorships across the University of Alaska system and held the title of President’s Professor of Remote Sensing. In his current position as Vice Chancellor for Research, he assists the Chancellor in setting the research agenda at UAF. He oversees the Center for Research Services, Geophysical Institute, International Arctic Research Center, Office of Electronic Miniaturization, Institute of Arctic Biology, and various research programs. Sharpton serves at the university representative to [http://www.arcus.org/ Arctic Research Consortium of the United States] (ARCUS), [http://www.inra.org/ Inland Northwest Research Alliance] (INRA), and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) [http://www.uaf.edu/research/chancellor.html] .

Career

Sharpton earned a B.S. with high honors in Geology at Grand Valley State University in 1979 and a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences at Brown University in 1981 and 1984, respectively. He was a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Post Doctoral Fellow for the Geological Survey of Canada from 1984 to 1986. Prior to joining UAF, Sharpton was Senior Staff Scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute affiliated with the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, where he served for 14 years.Sharpton is the founder and director of the [http://www.gina.alaska.edu/ Geographic Information Network of Alaska] (GINA) which provides access to university data and information services across the state. He currently works closely with several government agencies in developing new uses for satellite remote sensing and information management and he leads the data retrieval and management activities of the State Committee on Research (SCoR). Recently, Sharpton began working through the Governor’s Office to identify ways that the capabilities centered at the university can be utilized more effectively within state agencies. He became a member of Governor Palin’s sub-cabinet on Climate Change [ [http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/ Alaska Climate Change Strategy ] ] and sits on a variety of NASA review panels as well as state and local advisory boards.

Awards and Honors

In addition to being awarded the President’s Professorship, his honors include

* Tulip City Rock and Mineral Club Award (1979).
* William F. Malar Scholarship (1981-1984),
* Government of Canada Group Achievement Award (1992),
* NASA Group Achievement Award (1992),
* Geophysical Institute Director’s Faculty Achievement Award (2001),
* AmericaView’s Legacy Award for leadership (2006),

References