News release:

Awardees named for 29th annual Thomas Jefferson Awards

Virginia Museum of Natural History statewide event to be held March 24 at the historic Wayne Theater in Waynesboro, Virginia

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (January 8, 2016) – The Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville has announced the award recipients for its 29th annual Thomas Jefferson Awards ceremony to be held Thursday, March 24, 2016 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the historic Wayne Theater in Waynesboro, Virginia.

The VMNH Foundation Thomas Jefferson Awards ceremony is a statewide event that honors individuals and corporations for outstanding contributions to natural science and natural science education.

The 29th annual Thomas Jefferson Awards recipients are:

The Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science will be presented to Dr. Oliver S. Flint, Jr., Curator Emeritus, Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.  This award is presented to an individual who has consistently made outstanding contributions to natural science.

The Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science Education will be presented to Lisa Robinson Deaton, Forestry Education Specialist for the Virginia Department of Forestry. This award is presented to a Virginia educator who has made significant contributions to natural science education at any academic level.

The William Barton Rogers Corporate Award will be presented to the Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited.  This award is given to an organization that has shown significant support for the natural sciences in Virginia, through contributions to research, science education, or other relevant programs of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

The Thomas Jefferson Award for Conservation will be presented to Dr. James N. Galloway, Sidman P. Poole Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia.  This award is presented in recognition of significant conservation efforts in Virginia.

The Matthew Fontaine Maury Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Sammy Redd, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Virginia Museum of Natural History.  This award is given to an individual or organization that has provided exemplary service in the development of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

Tickets to the event are $20 per person and can be purchased by calling the museum at 276-634-4162.

The keynote speaker for the 29th annual Thomas Jefferson Awards ceremony will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information about the Thomas Jefferson Awards ceremony, visit www.vmnh.net or contactinformation@vmnh.virginia.gov.