Saskia Goes

The 2026 Augustus Love Medal is awarded to Saskia Goes for outstanding contributions to our understanding of Earth structure and evolution, using integrative research at the confluence of geodynamics, seismology, mineral physics, and geochemistry.

Saskia Goes is a pioneer in linking observations and models across scales and disciplines, and has helped to shape cross-disciplinary research in geodynamics and beyond, through her outstanding scientific contributions, skillful mentorship, and integrative leadership between different research communities. Goes develops and applies sophisticated geophysical methods to probe the dynamics of the lithosphere and mantle. Her main tools; geodynamic modelling, seismology, and thermodynamic techniques, are used to infer temperature, composition, and mechanical behavior from geophysical observations. This integrated approach, very much in the spirit of Augustus Love, has enabled her to address some of the most fundamental and complex questions in Earth science: What controls plate motions? Why do slabs stagnate or sink? How do mantle processes shape surface tectonics, volcanism, and seismic hazards?

Her research, mentoring and community services have catalyzed international collaborations and had real-world impact, from informing seismic hazard maps to improving our understanding of subduction-related volcanism. Notably, she leads by example: methodical, modest, and deeply collaborative, Goes elevates everyone around her. She has mentored numerous students and Early Career Scientists, many of whom are now leaders in their own right. 

Goes’ influence on the scientific community is both broad and lasting, and her most significant scientific contributions include: constraining lithospheric thermal and compositional structure; revealing the structure and dynamics of the deep mantle; uncovering the dynamics of subduction and plate motion; and advancing understanding of earthquake recurrence and tectonic loading. Her rare combination of intellectual clarity, scientific rigor, humility, and generosity of spirit has made Goes a role model to many. She is the kind of scientist who changes and broadens the field of geodynamics through establishing new frontiers of collaborative research. Her influence extends across continents and disciplines, shaping how we model, measure, and understand our dynamic planet.