Well, “farewell” at least to the job of AAPG EXPLORER columnist. I cannot believe that a year has passed since taking the helm of the Division of Environmental Geosciences. On the bright side, I met many members, made new friends and reconnected with old friends. I got to look behind the curtain and learned a lot about the inner workings of AAPG. On the other hand, I am disappointed that competing priorities prevented me from impacting DEG more. Thus, let me focus on the bright side!
Becoming a member of the Advisory Council was unexpectedly rewarding for the privilege of reviewing nominations for AAPG officers, honors and awards. First, for the caliber of the nominees, whether we are talking about members with decades of experience and jaw-dropping achievements or upcoming and future leaders who will shape the Association for decades to come. More astounding, however, was the support these candidates received in the form of letters and emails that lovingly brought the candidates alive with anecdotes and detailed descriptions of their journeys and triumphs. Clearly, the writers of these letters put themselves to the task of providing support for this outstanding group of nominees. I extend my gratitude to everyone who wrote a nomination or a letter of support! Third, experienced AC leaders structured the nomination meetings in a collegial and efficient way, which led us to what I believe are well-deserved nominations. Congratulations to all the nominees, well done!
Having to write this column turned out to be more vitalizing than expected. I missed the first one out of ignorance, after which the editor took special care of warning me early. But what to write about for the remaining ones? In the end, I stopped worrying and simply shared what was on my mind. Maybe the columns turned out to be a shade more personal than customary, but I had fun spilling my mind.
Looking Ahead
Looking forward to the IMAGE conference 2025, my technical-program highlight will be the special session track entitled “AAPG Academy.” These sessions will review concepts and technologies fundamental for professional (petroleum) geologists. Whether you are a student, a young professional or a seasoned veteran, I would expect all of us to learn (or relearn) some relevant aspect related to the exploration, development or production of reservoirs and resources. My non-technical highlight will be the traditional DEG/Energy Minerals Division luncheon. This year’s speaker will be Dr. Kristie McLin who will talk about how geology controls the quality and composition of produced waters. Lunch with friends, followed by an insightful, thought-provoking presentation: it cannot get better than that!
Soon, it will be time to hand over the wheel of DEG to our new president, Dan Arthur. I am confident that under Dan’s leadership, DEG will grow and flourish, and we will continue our collective journey into an exciting future!