Annual Report 2011: FY July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011
AAPG/SEG Cooperation Committee (Ad Hoc)
This ad hoc committee is composed of equal representation from both AAPG and SEG. The purpose of the joint committee is to identify and recommend various means by which AAPG and SEG may cooperate to better serve geoscientists.
Actions
Since being formed in Fall 2008, the committee has met at least twice per year at each of the annual meetings of the two societies. The 2010–2011 year was no exception. Recommendations made last year were not acted upon by either the AAPG or SEG Executive Committees. The recommendations from the 2009-10 report were
- Reviewed locations of existing and potential international offices. Recommended that the two societies share offices in Beijing, China and Manamheim, Bahrain.
- Conduct joint international meetings, such as the International Conference and Exhibition (ICE) offered by AAPG and APPEX, offered by AAPG.
- Currently both AAPG and SEG have active committees that attempt to integrate geology and geophysics. The committee recommended that the two committees be combined into one and serve both societies.
- Recommended that SEG become an affiliated society with AAPG and vice versa. Then members of one society could receive member discounts for meeting fees, publications, and continuing education from the other society.
- Recommended review of potential for reciprocal or joint membership in each society.
- Recommended joint meetings for Trustee Associates for both societies. The AAPG was willing to enact the recommendations, but the SEG replied
- They could not commit to a shared Middle East office,
- No response on joint international meetings.
- Declined to become affiliated societies, preferred to remain as “cooperating” societies.
- Declined to review reciprocal or joint membership.
- SEG and AAPG were willing to work together to modify the draft “white paper” on joint society cooperation.
- As a result, the committee modified its recommendations for 2010–2011 to the following, which were sent to both AAPG and SEG:
- AAPG should offer registration to its upcoming annual meeting in April 2011 in Houston to all SEG members at the AAPG member rate. AAPG should prepare the offer and SEG should distribute to all its members via email. If this recommendation is implemented, AAPG staff will report back to this committee with statistics on the number of SEG members that registered and how many typically register. Background: This committee previously recommended that all meetings, products and education be offered at member rates on a reciprocal basis. The SEG EC did not approve, so this committee has restricted its recommendation to the next AAPG meeting. If successful, this committee is hopeful that reciprocal offerings can be expanded.
- SEG staff has a draft of a white paper, which sets specific strategies for cooperation between the two societies. This white paper is dated January 5, 2009, but due to changes in staff, SEG staff has not yet responded to the draft. This committee recommends that the SEG EC direct SEG staff to respond by December 31, 2010 and that both staffs submit a revised draft by March 1, 2011. (This date was determined at the committee meeting with both staffs present.)
- Representatives of both EC’s, senior level staff, and the chair of this committee should meet for strategic planning in January 2011. The committee feels that time of is of the essence for cooperation and progress to date has been painfully slow. By conducting a face-to-face meeting leadership of the two societies can finally decide if, why, and how to move forward.
- This committee should be elevated to permanent status from its current ad hoc.
- AAPG should invite SEG President and Executive Director to its Corporate Advisory Board meeting in Houston on Sunday April 10, 2011 in conjunction with Annual Convention.
As of the end of this year on June 30, 2011, none of the above recommendations have been acted upon. But the committee will persevere and attempt to cause the two societies to cooperate on the above items in the coming year 2011–2012.
Lee T. Billingsley, Chair
Committee members:
Lee Billingsley (chair), Dick Baille, Bill Barkhouse, Tim Berge, Ed Heath, Mike Forrest, Randi Martinsen, Randy Ray, Elwin Peacock, and Jim Tucker