John Pojeta, Jr.

John's distinguished career as a USGS employee spanned more than 30 years, from 1963 to 1994. In addition to his research in lower Paleozoic molluscan classification, biostratigraphy, and evolution, John served as Chief, Branch of Paleontology and Stratigraphy, from 1989 to 1994 and as Chairman, USGS Geological Names Committee, from 1990 to 1994. John remains active in research as a USGS Emeritus Scientist and as a Research Associate in the Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution, a post he has held since 1969.

Other Professional Activities

• President, Paleontological Research Institution, 1980-1982; Trustee, 1976-1984.
• Secretary, Paleontological Society, 1982-1988; President, 1989-1990.
• Member, National Academy of Science, Committee on Guidelines for Paleontological Collecting, 1984-1987.
• Secretary, Governor of Maryland's Advisory Committee on Promoting Paleontology in Maryland.

Honors and Awards

• 1980 - United States of America Medal, Ribbon, and Scroll for service in Antarctica. Pojeta Peak is a mountain in Ellsworth Land in West Antarctica.
• 1985 - Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
• 1986 - Medal from the Geological Society of China for work with Chinese Devonian fossils.
• 1988 - Chinese Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources Achievement Award for work with Zhang Renjie that was published as USGS Professional Paper 1394.
• 1994 - The Golden Trilobite Award from The Paleontological Society for the USGS fossil poster "Fossils Through Time."
• 1996 - The Paleontological Society Council Award for "Long-term outstanding service to the Society..."

Current Projects

• Multivalved mollusks from Upper Cambrian and Ordovician rocks of Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky.
• Upper Cambrian snails from Utah.
• The living fossil Stirpulina ramosa (tubular oyster): a Cretaceous relict in the modern Pacific Ocean.

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