Isla Castañeda Named to Geological Society of America's 50 Under 50 Award List
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Isla Castañeda, professor in the College of Natural Sciences’s Department of Earth, Geographic, and Climate Sciences, and the Commonwealth Honors College, has been named to the Geological Society of America (GSA) 50 Under 50 Award list. A joint initiative of the GSA, the Geological Association of Canada (GAC-AGC), and the Sociedad Geológica Mexicana (SGM), the 50 Under 50 Awards honor “outstanding mid-career geoscientists across North America who are making significant contributions through research, service, and mentorship.”
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Fifty under Fifty Award,” expressed Castañeda. “It is a privilege to be recognized among such an inspiring group of leaders. I am thrilled that Dr. Elizabeth K. Thomas (University at Buffalo), who was a former postdoc of mine here at UMass, is also a recipient of this award.”
An organic geochemist and biogeochemist, Castañeda studies Earth's past climate to better understand the processes shaping climate change today. Her research uses molecular fossils known as biomarkers and compound-specific isotopes preserved in marine and terrestrial sediments to reconstruct ancient temperatures and precipitation patterns. Much of her work has focused on past warm periods and on climate records preserved in the sediments of large lakes, including Lakes Malawi (East Africa), El’gygytgyn (Siberia) and Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan). She has also served as a shipboard organic geochemist aboard an International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expedition in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean.
Upon joining CNS in 2011, Castañeda quickly began establishing herself in the fields of organic biogeochemistry and paleoclimatology. She was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2017 and became a full professor in 2023. Her research portfolio includes 78 peer-reviewed publications, 5,100 Google Scholar citations, and more than $4.1 million in research funding from the National Science Foundation and IODP.
Castañeda's influence extends beyond her research. To date, she has mentored nine master's students, seven doctoral students, eight postdoctoral researchers, and 42 undergraduates, with many of her students serving as first authors on scientific publications. She also teaches honors courses through the Commonwealth Honors College, and has contributed to the university and broader scientific community through departmental service, journal editorial work, professional committees, and science outreach programs.
A first-generation college student from a low-income family, Castañeda has also become a role model for students pursuing careers in the sciences. In 2025, she received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Minnesota's Large Lakes Observatory and the ADVANCE Faculty Peer Mentoring award from the CNS in 2022.
The GSA 50 Under 50 recognition adds to a career defined by innovative research into Earth's climate history, a commitment to mentorship, and a broad impact on the geosciences.
“This award provides a platform to elevate the visibility of paleoclimate research being conducted here at UMass,” says Castañeda. “I hope it will help bring attention to the urgency of climate change, which is more relevant today than ever before, and the important role that paleoclimate studies play in providing the essential baseline data needed to refine computer models and improve future warming predictions.”
Learn more about GSA's 50 Under 50 Award.