Double congratulations to PhD student Alex Kugler who was recently awarded a Geological Society of America Student Research Grant ($2130) for his work on the Generation of Clay Minerals Through Bacterial Iron Oxidation of Basaltic Minerals! In addition, Alex also recently received a $1170 travel grant to attend the national Clay Mineralogical Society meeting where he will present a talk entitled "Micas as Protective Habitats of Cyanobacteria Against Ultraviolet Radiation". Congratulations Alex!