Fund Started to Assist IBA Program

By REBECCA GRIFFIN, AAPG Foundation Manager

A new fund has been established by the AAPG Foundation to accept corporate and individual donations to AAPG’s successful Imperial Barrel Award program.

The IBA is an annual prospect/exploration evaluation competition/presentation between university student teams competing to win scholarship funds dedicated to petroleum geoscience education created for geoscience graduate students. The rigorous program contributes to AAPG’s mission of promoting petroleum geoscience training and advancing the careers of geoscience students.

In it, university teams around the world compete in regional contests to win the right to advance to the final competition held at the start of AAPG annual conventions.

IBA finals teams analyze a complete dataset (geology, geophysics, land, economics, production infrastructure and other relevant materials) for six to eight weeks prior to the competition. Each team then delivers its results in a 30-minute presentation to a panel of industry experts.

Students gain experience using real technology on a real dataset. Additionally, students benefit from industry panel feedback, the opportunity to impress potential employers in the audience and the chance to win cash prizes for their schools.

The 2009 IBA was won by the team from Moscow (Russia) State University, which earned $20,000 for their petroleum geoscience department. Finishing second was the team from the University of Nebraska ($10,000 prize), and taking the $5,000 third place prize was the team from Memorial University (Newfoundland, Canada) See July EXPLORER.

In other Foundation news, chairman William Fisher announced approval of:

• $10,000 funding to support AAPG’s Student Focus Committee for a GSA Booth in Portland, Ore.
• $5,600 in support of the 2009-10 Professorial Grants.
• $30,000 to support the AAPG education department’s new “Opencourseware” online courses.
• $10,000 to the AAPG Astrogeology Committee to support its publication of “Energy Resources for Human Settlement in the Solar System and Earth’s Future in Space.”

A contribution of $100,000 from BP was designated to the Bridge Fund, in support of the feature length documentary film – currently in production – intended to create a culture of energy education and to help ensure a secure energy future.

Two AAPG members wanted to continue to support the Foundation’s mission by including the Foundation in their estate plans. They are:

• Henry Francis Nelson, of Cumming, Ga.
• Robert Maby Jr., of Houston.

For more information on this or other Foundation programs contact Rebecca Griffin at (918) 560-2644.