David Butler named Lifetime Achievement Honoree by American Association of Geographers

David R. Butler, Texas State University System Regents’ Professor Emeritus and University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, has been named a 2023 American Association of Geographers (AAG) Lifetime Achievement Honoree, the highest honor bestowed on its members.

Butler is one of four such honorees for 2023.

“This year’s recipients of AAG honors are dedicated scholars, thought leaders, teachers and mentors in geography,” said Gary Langham, executive director of the AAG. “We are especially proud to recognize the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Honorees for their dedicated advocacy for scholarship and learning in geography, throughout their careers.”

Butler was honored for his outstanding contributions to geographical research, teaching, mentoring and service. His scholarship at the confluence of geomorphology and biogeography has profoundly influenced physical geography by advancing understanding of the physical processes shaping mountain environments and alpine plant communities. He has also conducted pioneering work in zoogeomorphology. Over a 37-year career, Butler’s passion for research has been matched by equal dedication to teaching, mentoring and increasing the representation of women and people of color in the geographical sciences.

Since 1951, AAG honors have been offered annually to recognize outstanding accomplishments by members in research and scholarship, teaching, education, service to the discipline, public service outside academia and for lifetime achievement.

For more than 100 years, the AAG has contributed to the advancement of geography. Members from nearly 100 countries share interests in the theory, methods and practice of geography, which they cultivate through the AAG's annual meeting and scholarly journals.

For more information, visit the AAG website.