Folarin Kolawole, an assistant professor in Columbia University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, is one of 15 recipients of this year’s National Geographic Society’s Wayfinder Award, which recognizes scientists, conservationists, educators and other “bold changemakers” whose work is expanding our understanding of the planet and helping to protect its future.
“As a field scientist working across borders, this award affirms the value of field observation-based and collaborative discovery,” said Kolawole, who conducts his structural geology research at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School. “It will help me pursue more ambitious field campaigns, strengthen global collaborations and deepen our understanding of the tectonic processes that are actively reshaping continents.”
Kolawole studies some of the most consequential slow-motion processes on Earth: how continents stretch and eventually split apart, and how ancient faults far from the active edges of tectonic plates can cause earthquakes. At Lamont, Kolawole is part of a long line of researchers studying the dynamics of the solid Earth, from plate tectonics to seafloor spreading and the evolution of ocean basins.
The National Geographic Society described the 2026 Wayfinder Award recipients as “visionaries” whose work reflects curiosity, exploration and impact. The 14 other awardees come from around the world and study a wide range of fields, including conservation biology, climate adaptation, microbiology, documentary photography and marine education.
The news release with the full list of awardees is here.
