Annual Report 2012: FY July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012
PROWESS
The mission of the PROWESS committee is to increase participation and advancement of women in Earth sciences and the Energy Industry, with an emphasis on education, outreach, support, leadership development and ultimately retention. The PROWESS Committee will interact with women in Earth Science, their male peers and employers, educational institutions, and professional societies to accomplish this mission.
Committee Activity
ACE PROWESS Events
Team Leads: Jessica Moore, Carol McGowen, Karen Blake, Ann Given, Alicia Kahn
- Joint PROWESS/DPA Luncheon Seminar. 183 Registrants. Two keynote speakers: Dr. Sally Benson, Director of the Global Climate and Energy Project at Stanford University spoke on “Following Your Convictions: Even when the Going Gets Tough”; and Dr. Sharon Mosher, Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin and President of the AGI spoke on “Building a Diverse and Sustainable Geoscience Workforce.”
- PROWESS Short Course (Sponsored by Chevron). Unconventional Workforce Assets: Developing Women Leaders in the Energy Industry. 37 registrants. Keynote speakers included Julie Mahler, former Global Geoscience Recruiting Manager for ExxonMobil Upstream Ventures; and Dr. Marcia McNutt, director of the USGS. The course was composed of two sessions broken into three roundtables each covering the topics:
- Maximizing the value of your technical skills: suggestions on how to navigate the technical learning curve through training and experience.
- Perfecting your professional image: developing a corporate brand and not a just a label.
- Developing leadership skills: ways all employees can develop leadership skills and influence without authority.
- Expectations of tomorrow’s leaders: skills needed to effectively lead future employees.
- The business of The Business: information on economics and energy policy affecting your career.
- Second career, second success: tips for maintaining a dynamic geosciences career.
- KiddieCorp Childcare. 21 registrants. Children enjoyed games, arts and crafts. Incident and injury free. Survey showed 92% of parents indicated childcare made a difference as to whether or not they were able to attend ACE, and 100% felt the hours offered met their needs.
Workforce Retention Survey
Team Leads: Edith Allison, Carol McGowen
- The 2008 informal PROWESS survey of the factors that influence women's retention in upstream companies has evolved into a 2011 National Science Foundation grant to Drs. Chandra Muller and Christine Williams. The grant will conduct a longitudinal study of the factors that impact retention of upstream geologists and engineers. As part of their study the researchers seek assistance from major, independent and service companies in identifying early-career employees (up to five year's post degree) willing to participate in a brief survey and periodic follow-up contacts.
Profiles of Pioneer Women Petroleum Geologists
Team Leads: Edie Allison, Tony Grindrod
- The committee has collected biographical information about pioneering women petroleum geologists beginning with Carlotta Maury, who worked for Shell starting in 1910. The March 2012 AAPG Explorer had an article on Emma Summers, a pioneer in California oil development. In addition, the biographies and pictures of many pioneers will soon be posted on the PROWESS web site. The committee plans to add international pioneers to its U.S. group.
Website
Team Leads: Amy Noack, Gretchen Gillis
- Work continues to streamline the PROWESS custom website. Articles, links to pertinent diversity information, meetings, and courses and inspirational PROWESS bios are posted.
Explorer Articles
- Four articles have been contributed from PROWESS authored by Edie Allison, Jessica Moore, and Maria Stella Sonuga.
Jessica Moore and Edie Allison, Chairs
Committee members: Edith C. Allison (chair), Katharine Lee Avary, Karen E. Blake, Jennifer Bronz, Lauren Alexis Cassel, David Richard Cook, Denise M. Cox (AAPG EC liaison), Ashley S.B. Douds, Vlastimila Dvorakova, Shawna Marie Frost, Amy Garbowicz, Gretchen M. Gillis, Ann V. Givan, Anthony John Grindrod, Amanda Gail Guzofski, Amanda G. Haddad, Jennifer Nice Hoyt, Lisa RaLynn Humbert, Sigrunn Johnsen, Alicia Kahn, Amanda Lynne Kern, Linda S. Kyle, Vivian Lin, Carol McGowen (AAPG staff liaison), Evelyn A. Medvin, Jessica Moore (chair), Nicole Susanne Morris, Susan Ellen Nissen, Amy Kathryn Noack, Erin Sesslar Reuber, Pilar R. Ritcherson, Sunday Kirk Shepherd, Marie-Stella Sonuga, Shannon Cheree Stover, Dianne Elizabeth Tompkins, Amanda M. Veazey, Keri Vinas, Caroline Sue Whitehill, Kammie Rechelle Wood, and Laura Cutright Zahm