The mission of the Marble Fund is to support the advancement and application of geographic information science (GIS) and quantitative methods in geography. By honoring Dr. Duane Marble's contributions, the fund encourages academic excellence and innovation within these domains.
The grant primarily aims to foster excellence in quantitative geography, particularly at the Master’s level. It supports outstanding research in this field, not limited to geography students but open to applicants from various disciplines. The award seeks to motivate scientific investigations that expand the understanding of geography through quantitative methods. Each year, two awardees are recognized for their exceptional academic performance in Master’s research. Recipients benefit from a cash prize, a certificate of merit, and public acknowledgment during a special session at the AAG (American Association of Geographers) meeting.