Candidates for AAPG office have been given the opportunity to respond briefly to the subject: "Why I Accepted the Invitation to be a Candidate for an AAPG Office."
Their responses and biographical information were provided by each candidate and edited only for grammar, spelling and format.
This information will also be provided as hard-copy in the January issue of the EXPLORER and available on the AAPG Web site through the election period. Ballots will be mailed, online in the first quarter of 2012. Results will be posted mid-May 2012.
Candidates were asked to limit their biographies to 350 words and responses to 500 words.
2011-12 Vice President - Sections Candidate
Thomas E. Ewing Learn about Tom Ewing
Frontera Exploration Consultants - San Antonio, Texas
Why I Accepted the Invitation to be a Candidate for an AAPG Office ...
The AAPG is our professional society – a society made up of practicing applied energy resource geoscientists and allied professionals. I’ve always been happy to contribute time and talent to this society as well as to regional and local geological societies. So when asked, I accepted.
My feeling is that we all have a profound moral responsibility to give of our God-given talents and our years of professional training and experience – in good service to our clients and employers, in education and response to the broader public and in service to our profession.
To be a professional is to be part of a continuing tradition and a continuing conversation. We have to work through our professional societies with the gifts we are given, to improve them and to carry them forward to the next generation.
I have served in leading and coordinating society activities in several ways, including leadership in two Divisions (Division of Professional Affairs and Energy Minerals Division), and as general chair of a GCAGS convention. These have been some of the most rewarding experiences in my career. I will continue to be of service – possibly in the role of VP-Sections.
Regarding the office for which I am running – Vice President of Sections – this is the position within the Executive Committee of AAPG that is dedicated to representing the interests and needs of U.S. domestic geoscientists.
As the Association as a whole becomes more global, we cannot forget that we are the only national professional association for energy resource geoscientists in the United States. As such, we have a responsibility to our U.S. members to represent their interests, to provide workshops, conventions, field trips and publications of interest to them.
We also have a responsibility to strengthen the Sections and their meetings and activities. The national AAPG office and its resources of money and staff must be meshed with the Sections and the local Affiliated Societies to serve our profession’s and our members’ needs.
As AAPG becomes more global, how can we strengthen the meetings in our six domestic sections? They are increasingly the principal venue for sharing technical and professional information, for seeing exhibitors, for visiting old friends and making new ones. But they face special challenges – can AAPG help?
We must also continue to strongly support and expand the activities of GEO-DC in providing information and education to American leaders, in conjunction with the Division of Professional Affairs.
I was happy to accept the invitation to run with my friend Ken Nemeth. I would join him in urging all the Explorer readers to do a little extra for your profession – serve on a committee, help put on a meeting, and run for office! You won’t regret it.
About Tom Ewing ...
Geoscientist and partner, Yegua Energy Associates, San Antonio, Texas
Geoscientist, Frontera Exploration Consultants
Born 1954, Elgin, Ill.
Academic Degrees
- 1981 Ph.D., geological sciences, University of British Columbia
- 1977 M.S., geochemistry, New Mexico Tech
- 1975 B.S., geology, Colorado College
Experience
- 2007-present Geoscientist and partner, Yegua Energy Associates
- 1985-present Consulting geologist and geophysicist, Frontera Exploration Consultants
- 1995-2003 Geoscientist, Venus Exploration
- 1980-85 Research Scientist, Texas Bureau of Economic Geology
AAPG Activities
Joined AAPG 1981
Member DEG, DPA, EMD
- 2001-present HoD delegate, South Texas Geological Society
- 2007-08 President, AAPG Division of Professional Affairs, (and AAPG Advisory Council)
- 2004 Technical Program co-chair, GCAGS Convention
- 2000-03 Member, Government Affairs Committee, AAPG DPA
- 2000-02 Chair, Publications Committee, AAPG Energy Minerals Division
- 1999-2000 President, AAPG Energy Minerals Division, (and AAPG Advisory Council)
- 1996-99 Member, AAPG Convention Committee, Treasurer, AAPG Division of Professional Affairs
- 1993-99 Member, AAPG Geophysics Committee
- 1994-96 Vice president, AAPG Division of Professional Affairs
- 1993-96 General chair,
- 1996 GCAGS Convention
- 1991-94 HoD delegate, South Texas Geological Society
- 1992-93 Vice chair, AAPG House of Delegates
- 1989 Field trip chair, AAPG Annual Convention
- 1985 Editor, GCAGS Transactions
- 1982-84 HoD delegate, Austin Geological Society
AAPG Honors and Awards
- 2010 GCAGS Honorary Membership
- 2009 AAPG EMD Honorary Membership
- 2005 AAPG Distinguished Service Award
- 1998 AAPG Levorsen Award (Gulf Coast)
- 1993 GCAGS Distinguished Service Award
- 1982 AAPG Levorsen Award (Gulf Coast)
Publications
- Over 75 articles, reports and guidebooks. Most interesting (in brief format):
- 2010, Assessment of undiscovered resources, Claiborne Group (with Paul Hackley) - AAPG Bulletin
- 2010, Pre-Pearsall geology and plays in South Texas - GCAGS Transactions
- 2009, Sabine Uplift and northern GOM Basin - GCAGS Transactions
- 2008, Geology and history in San Antonio area - STGS Publication [for non-technical audience]
- 2007, Fairways in the Downdip and Middip Yegua Trend - GCAGS Transactions
- 2005, Phanerozoic development of the Llano Uplift - STGS Bulletin and AGS Guidebook
- 2004, Volcanoes, asphalt, tectonics and groundwater near Uvalde - STGS Guidebook
- 2001, Late Jurassic depositional systems and plays - GCAGS Transactions
- 1998, Shanghai Field, unexpected reserves defined by 3D - GCAGS Case Histories
- 1993, Erosional margins and subsidence, West Texas Basin - NMGS Guidebook
- 1991, Structural framework, Gulf of Mexico - GSA Geology of North America v. J
- 1991, Tectonic map of Texas and companion text - BEG
- 1986, Structural styles in the Wilcox and Frio - BEG RI 154
- 1984, Hackberry sandstone reservoirs - BEG GC 84-7
- 1980, Paleogene tectonics, Pacific Northwest - Journal of Geology
AAPG Vice President, Sections, Responsibilities as defined by AAPG Bylaws, Article II, Section 3.
The Vice President, Sections, when elected earlier than the Vice President, Regions, shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of the President to serve. The Vice President, Sections, when elected earlier than the Vice President, Regions, shall assume the office of President in case of a vacancy for any cause in that office; and shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the President. The Vice President, Sections shall, with his or her other duties, concern himself or herself with the activities of the Association in respect to United States Sections. A Vice President, Sections elected pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of this Article II shall be presumed for the purposes of this Section 3 to have been elected on the date of his or her predecessor's election.