Message from Chairman
by John Brooks, CBE President European Region
London Office: The ERC, European Region Council, has agreed to open an office in London at Imperial College in the Geology Department which has kindly offered space and facilities. It will service both the organisation and the European Region; we hope to have it open during September.
Steve Veal, erstwhile VP, will be the office manager but we shall also take on a part-time administrator.
European Region Council (ERC) Meeting, July 1st, Budapest: The Council of the European Region met in Budapest on Saturday July 1st 2006, courtesy of MOL and arranged by István Bérzci, President-Elect. Council attendees were Sigrunn Johnsen (Past President), Francois Roure (Treasurer), Stuart Harker, István Bérzci and John Brooks (President). Mike Lakin (Vice President) was unable to attend. Although both candidates for the post of Treasurer were invited, only Vlastimila Dvorakova was able to attend.
Our discussion was quite wide ranging, focusing on future events and on ways of engaging members in the various countries within the region, as well as their institutions. We still need volunteers from many of these countries. Council members are from Norway, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom and we have very strong support in Poland, Austria and the Ukraine as well as in Russia. If you do not see your country represented in this list, and are interested in becoming involved, why not get in touch with any of the Council Members? You will be very welcome!
The next major event is, Athens, a joint European Region/AAPG International Conference to be held in Athens, Greece, November 2007. This conference will also be held in conjunction with our colleagues in the Middle East and Africa Regions.
The Region is keen to establish cooperation within European societies, of which there are a great number, and to avoid possible date conflicts for various conferences. Ideas involving sub-regional seminars in countries or play concepts local to discrete areas are being considered, but we continue to seek new ideas.
We are particularly keen to encourage a Russian Conference, especially as the EC accepted a joint recommendation from the Asia/Pacific and European Regions to combine all parts of Russia. As of the Houston Conference in April, all of Russia is now part of European Region.
I have already been to Moscow twice to meet with colleagues there and found considerable interest in the AAPG. However there are issues in attracting new members that need to be addressed – graduated dues, ease of election to active membership, and finding sponsors. Some of these issues need to be addressed for other countries as well. However given a positive attitude we are certain that Russia as well as other countries will grow in time. Russia might even become its own region.
Our Business Plan was discussed and will hopefully generate resolutions to a number of aspects including the new the London Office (see the beginning of my report for more information). The ERC has been most positive to the region’s suggestions.
Considerable discussion ensued about Student Chapters and ways of bringing students together at meetings. Mallorca was a small success and at Athens student sessions are planned, but sponsorship by companies is needed to gather together students in sufficient numbers. Ideas please!
It was decided that EC would not put forward candidates for Honors and Awards this year. Council would like to receive nominations from the membership for the various categories. Please send your nominations in by next June for Council’s review.
June saw the first publication of the Newsletter, also a first for a Region. Thanks are due to Carol Lucas who put the edition together and mastered the publishing. We would like to find an assistant for her so that there is cover, backup and learning. Volunteers to Carol direct please, this is a key position perhaps suited to a student? Suggestions from you all please as to the newsletter’s content, however, remember the newsletter is not intended to replace, suborn or imitate the Explorer which does its own job magnificently!
The Regional Council plans to meet every three months in a different venue; we try and plan ahead but offers of venues are very welcome.
Council is doing all it can to put the Region on the map and to arrange for courses and conferences to take place and to create a focus office where everyone can be in contact, but we need and solicit support.
In all, it was a very useful council meeting in a most pleasant and interesting city.