2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award
John Davies ‘70, ‘75
John Davies is the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award, recognizing his decades of service to the University of ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Fairbanks, the Fairbanks community and the state of ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ. Davies began his affiliation with ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ in 1967 at the Geophysical Institute and earned both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in geology and geophysics, with a focus on seismology.
His career has spanned science, public service and higher education leadership. Davies served as ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ’s state seismologist, was a member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly and represented Interior ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ for a decade in the ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ House of Representatives, where he was a strong advocate for the university. He later served as research director for the ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Cold Climate Housing Research Center and as a member of the University of ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Board of Regents from 2014–2022.
Davies has also been deeply involved with the ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Alumni Association and numerous community and energy-focused organizations. His lifetime of leadership and volunteer service has made a lasting impact on ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ and ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ.