"The
times they are a-changing" was a popular Bob Dylan lyric that reflects
our world today.
Change
is generally for the good and reflects progress and improvement
— even though humans generally resist change, in that they fall
into a comfort zone and do not care to experience anything different.
The AAPG
Executive Committee is working toward some significant changes for
the members to reflect changing times, progress and improvements.
For example,
AAPG is dedicated to providing the best in geoscience publications.
Thus the Executive Committee established an ad hoc committee to
look at the format, style and future of the BULLETIN.
Members
of this committee, appointed by me, were the candidates for elected
editor (Jim Handschy and Ernie Mancini); candidates for president-elect
(Alfredo Guzman, Chuck Noll and Pete Rose); Nahum Schneidermann;
Jack Thomas (AAPG geoscience director); Paul Weimer (AAPG treasurer);
and John Lorenz (current AAPG editor).
The committee
recommended that the BULLETIN shift to an all-electronic, online
BULLETIN. This shift is in line with new technology, and many of
our members (approximately one-third) already subscribe to the electronic
BULLETIN.
The recommended
plan has the following provisions:
-
Abstracts
of each BULLETIN article will be published in the EXPLORER monthly,
along with the elected editor's comments. An e-mail tickler
will also be sent to members each month.
-
A
CD containing the BULLETIN articles for the previous six issues
will be mailed to members every six months.
-
For members who still want hard copy, the option will be available
— but with associated mailing costs. The hard copy version
of the BULLETIN will be identical to the electronic version.
You currently have the option on the dues card to go electronic
or hardcopy. This option will change to reflect mailing costs
if you want hard copy.
The hard copy of the BULLETIN will be a double issue, mailed
every two months.
-
To
help support hard copy for those members who are financially
and computer challenged, we will seek some fund raising. This
may be an individual or company type of grant.
The committee
also looked at the content of the BULLETIN and recommended the following:
- BULLETIN
articles should continue to be peer reviewed.
- Topics
acceptable for the BULLETIN should be broadened to include integrated,
multidisciplinary types of papers, including papers covering petrophysics,
seismic studies, engineering studies and business and economic
studies as related to the exploration/development/discovery of
hydrocarbons.
- More
E&P Notes type of papers are desirable.
- A
more diverse group of associate editors should be sought and given
the additional responsibility of soliciting articles for the BULLETIN.
The Executive
Committee accepted all of the recommendations of this ad hoc committee
and established a second committee to work on the implementation
of the proposed changes (members included EC and AAPG staff). Plans
are to be rolling out the new BULLETIN publication regime by July
1, 2005.
I want
to thank John Lorenz for chairing both ad hoc committees and getting
all the work accomplished in a timely manner. These changes move
us more into the electronic age and will be of great benefit to
all of our members. These changes also have major cost savings benefits
(elimination of mailing costs, etc.).
The digital
age is upon us and members can expect a lot of exciting products
in the near future (e.g. GIS UDRIL — a GIS map-based product that
links all papers and figures together — and more papers in Search
and Discovery, AAPG's electronic online collection of papers, talks,
etc.).
You can
test-drive the GIS UDRIL product online as well as search for papers
in Search and Discovery at http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/.
The BULLETIN Archives are word searchable, which makes finding papers,
topics or authors easy. Please take some time to see what is currently
online.
All these
changes are to bring us into the new electronic, digital age. Most
of our sister societies are also moving in this direction.
Speaking
of changes, my year as AAPG president is coming to a close. It has
been a pleasure and a privilege and the highlight of my career.
I want
to thank my terrific and hard-working Executive Committee: Erik
Mason, vice president; Pat Gratton, president-elect; Bob Countryman,
secretary; Paul Weimer, treasurer; and George Eynon, chair of the
House of Delegates — and the previously mentioned Editor John Lorenz.
Many thanks
also to Rick Fritz and AAPG staff members for all of their hard
work.
And, best
wishes to the new Executive Committee!
"Change
is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present
are certain to miss the future."
— John F.
Kennedy