Charlie Prewitt [center, in blue shirt, second row from the top. Robert Downs Mineralogy & Crystallography Group, 2008 ] pin the University of Arizona Dept. of Geosciences has been awarded the International Mineralogical Association Medal of Excellence for lifetime achievement in mineralogy. The IMA medal is awarded for excellence in mineralogical research and is to be considered as one of the pre-eminent awards in this discipline. The recipient is chosen for scientific eminence as represented primarily by scientific publications of outstanding original research in mineralogy. This award was founded in 2006 and approved by the IMA council in July 2007. Charlie is the first recipient of this award.