UW’s Grana Receives John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award

Despite his status as an internationally recognized expert in his field, Dario Grana is hailed by students, alumni and colleagues alike as a truly down-to-earth teacher who invests deeply in his students.

 

This is one of the many reasons Grana has been named as a recipient of the 2026 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award at the University of Wyoming. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. “Jack” Ellbogen to “foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW.”

 

Grana holds dual appointments as a School of Energy Resources professor of geology and geophysics and Wyoming Excellence Chair in the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

 

He teaches several of the core courses that anchor the geophysics curriculum at UW, including “Rock Physics,” “Mathematical Methods for Geosciences” and “Topics in Exploration Seismology.”

 

Students praise Grana’s ability to make complex concepts from these fields accessible and to demonstrate their real-world applications.

 

A former student who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University says of Grana’s teaching that “what impresses me most is that, in every class, he is constantly thinking about how to help us absorb rigorous geophysical knowledge in the most effective way. Whether in his undergraduate course ‘Mathematical Methods for Geoscience,’ or his graduate course ‘Rock Physics Methods,’ mathematics is highly involved. But his classes never feel boring.”

 

Students also have been impressed with Grana’s accessibility and willingness to help them succeed both during his classes and long after graduation.

 

“As a mentor, he is accessible, patient and deeply committed to his students’ success,” wrote one of his Ph.D. students. “He invests substantial time in discussions, manuscript development, conference preparation and long-term career planning … His support extends beyond academic advising; he inspires confidence, scientific integrity and ambition.”

 

Geology and geoscience traditionally are recognized as among the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields with the least representation across different demographics, so it also has been a mission of Grana to increase outreach to students of varying backgrounds.

 

As part of that endeavor, Grana has offered summer classes for high school students at both Stanford University and UW to promote geosciences and mathematical modeling among future generations of students.

 

Autumn Eakin, assistant director of the Center for Economic Geology Research at the School of Energy Resources, wrote in her letter of recommendation that, “beyond structure and content, Dr. Grana brings intellectual depth and enthusiasm to the classroom. He is a brilliant researcher, and that depth of expertise informs his teaching in meaningful ways. At the same time, he is highly collaborative and approachable, creating an environment where students are both challenged and supported. His candor, clarity and fairness foster respect and accountability. He inspires his students’ curiosity about the natural world and supports their career progression both inside and outside the classroom.”

 

Grana holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in geophysics from Stanford and an M.S. and a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Pavia in Italy. He has received the prestigious Society of Exploration Geophysicists Karcher Award, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers Van Weelden Award, Society of Exploration Geophysicists Outstanding Educator Award and Felix Chayes Award for Excellence in Mathematical Geoscience. He also has been recognized on the “World’s Top 2% Scientists” list maintained by Stanford.