The Delegates' Voice

Newsletter for the House of Delegates of AAPG

APRIL, 2001

Report From the South Texas Geological Society

By Stewart Chuber

The STGS is trying to become “the best little geologic society in Texas” by capitalizing on its unique geography, history, and membership. Headquartered in San Antonio, the “Venice of America” on the edge of the Hill Country, steeped in tradition since inception (1929), and made up of consultants and geologists from small companies, the STGS offers many unique opportunities to its members.

The Society consists of 338 voting, non-voting, and honorary members; 251 of these are active AAPG members. Our monthly (except July and August) Bulletin has 398 subscribers, and it always includes a well written technical article. We meet for luncheon programs on the second Wednesday of each month at the Petroleum Club. The Club is located near the airport (just off final for runway 30), and in the center of the city’s petroleum business. Our usual attendance is about 75 and almost everyone knows everybody. We have drawings for a rock or crystal specimen at each meeting, and two lucky members are also selected to compete at the last “Social” meeting of the year (in May) for a $500 continuing education prize (applicable to any AAPG course). Also we are the main sponsor for the well attended (more than 200) “all organization” Christmas party every year in early December.

At least two continuing education courses are offered each year; they are usually held on our Wednesday meeting at the PC. Most courses are generated locally from members, service companies or specialists, and the costs are minimal: +/- $50 for a full day including a continental breakfast, full lunch, and afternoon snacks, plus a course manual. Between 20 and 40 folks come to these seminars. The Texas Bureau of Economic Geology and the Petroleum Technology Transfer Conference help in putting on state-of-the-geologic-art programs.

In addition, the STGS runs two field trips a year, one in the early Fall, and the second in “blue bonnet time”. The nearby outcrops offer a good look at rocks from pre-Cambrian to recent, and enthusiastic geologists and their families come along for the fun. These excursions, too, are at minimal cost, because we hire and drive our own vans for the average 30 or so participants.

Quite fortunately the Society is well endowed financially because of the frequent GCAGS and National AAPG meetings in our city. We use this money (which we earn by the hard work of our members) to run the Society, and a healthy Endowment Fund to give scholarships and awards to students from central Texas Universities. We also sponsor a science fair for high school students and have an extremely active liaison with K-12 schools for the promotion of geology in the public eye.

You should visit our web page, www.stgs.org, to see what is going on in the Society, maybe take a field trip or a course, or just attend a friendly meeting if you are in San Antonio

In this issue …

Officers Columns:
> Chairman's Corner
> Chairman-elect
> Secretary/Editor

Committee Reports:

> Constitution and Bylaws
> Rules and Procedures
> Nominations and Elections
> Future of Earth Scientists
> Credentials
> Resolutions
> Independent Audit (Ad Hoc)
> Operating Efficiency (Ad Hoc)
> Honors and Awards

Agenda for June 3 Meeting

South Texas Geological Society

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The House officers and committee chairs will be posting on the House Forum more updates and additional information for the House meeting on June 3. Be sure to visit Delegate's Forum often, and discuss the issues with fellow delegates and AAPG members before the meeting.