Regions and Sections
Rocky Mountain Section
The Rocky Mountain Section is composed of energetic members from across the Rocky Mountain States from northern New Mexico and Colorado, up to Wyoming, Montana, Utah and Nevada to Idaho and North Dakota. The largest of the 11 affiliated societies is the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists based in Denver, but all of the smaller societies play vital roles in our activities.
We have been active in various efforts this past year, one of which is support of the Imperial Barrel Award competition. Over the past few years two to four college teams have been involved, and those who competed were awe inspiring. This spring we awarded $3000 to the University of Colorado for First Place in the IBA and $2000 to the Colorado School of Mines for Second Place. The program takes a good deal of work on the part of students, faculty and professionals, but all who are involved have given it very high marks. We are currently working to involve more universities, students and professionals. Our section has also been active in recruiting and supporting candidates for the Teacher of the Year Award. We are proud that two of our RMS winners have recently become the national AAPG Teacher of the Year. Finally, we have a RMS Foundation, our non-profit, tax-exempt entity. The Foundation supports various activities that will be a benefit to a large number of people in the geosciences and the earth science community. This year some of the programs supported were the Denver Earth Science Library, grants to affiliated societies for AAPG Distinguished Lectures, IBA travel expenses, and distribution of geoscience publications around the world to poor nations.
Our annual meeting moves every year to a new location. Because the AAPG National Convention was held in Denver in 2009, we did not host an annual meeting. In 2008, the annual meeting was a joint effort with the Colorado Oil and Gas Association and was a huge success. In 2010 we are looking forward to hosting the meeting in Durango, Colorado, June 13 to June 16. Durango and the host society, the Four Corners Geological Society, have never hosted an RMS-AAPG so the excitement is building. The technical program, short courses, field trips and much more should be outstanding. Durango is a great destination with marvelous geology and exceptional tourist attractions. Information about the meeting is posted on the Four Corners Geological Society Web site: www.fourcornersgeologicalsociety.org. In the years following Durango, meetings will be held in Casper, Wyoming, Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. As a Colorado native, resident of Durango and President of the RMS-AAPG, I invite all AAPG members and friends to come to our beautiful mountain town next June and join us for a fun and educational event.
These two photographs provide a tempting view of the geology around Durango which will provide a spectacular backdrop for the Rocky Mountain Section Meeting to be held here in June, 2010. Photographs by Tom Ann Casey.