John W. Shelton, the godfather of AAPG’s online e-magazine Search and Discovery, has retired after serving as its chief editor since its inception in 1997.
Succeeding Shelton as editor effective in January is Edward A. “Ted” Beaumont, Tulsa independent and current AAPG elected secretary.
A past AAPG Elected Editor and vice president, Shelton has been a strong supporter of the AAPG Foundation and was a key visionary in the planning and implementation of AAPG Datapages in the early 1990s. AAPG’s Datapages is the Association’s digital library and publishing program. Additionally, Shelton is a leader in the continuing growth of the AAPG digital library, which now includes data in Geographic Information Systems formats.
Datapages has since grown into the Association’s major conduit to disseminate scientific information and continues its expansion.
Search and Discovery began as an online research and demonstration project in 1997 and has grown into a leading information Web site and has been open to the public since its launch.
Both Shelton and Beaumont along with AAPG staff member Ron Hart are credited as being the originators of S&D, realizing that AAPG was capturing only about 10 percent of the output of its paper and poster presenters.
Search and Discovery provides a place to rapidly publish abstracts, luncheon talks, classic company reports and much of the miscellaneous material that was missed by other more formal publication media.
It’s earned its place as an important part of AAPG’s technical publications mix – and the numbers show that members approve.
At a headquarters luncheon honoring Shelton for his longtime efforts, it was announced that the AAPG Foundation has established the John W. Shelton Search and Discovery Award to be given annually to the author of the best contribution to Search and Discovery during the past year.
AAPG Executive Director Rick Fritz noted “there is no member in the history of AAPG who has dedicated and donated more of his time and expertise to scientific efforts of the Association than John Shelton. He is one of a kind, and the Association owes him our gratitude.”
Shelton, in addition to being Elected Editor for the AAPG BULLETIN 1975-79 and AAPG vice president in 1988-89, also received AAPG’s Distinguished Service Award in 1980 and Honorary Membership in 1990.
Since S&D was launched Beaumont has continued to be actively involved in the online journal, serving on the editorial board that seeks, solicits and approves new articles to be posted online. Others on the board are Hart, Doug Peters and Mike Horn