What once seemed like a long journey ahead has now come to an end. I honestly cannot believe my year as AAPG president is almost over. There are many goals that have been accomplished, but also many that remain to be done.
We began the year focused on AAPG’s financial state and, with the help of the new executive director, found ways to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and find a better value proposition for our members. It began with the three-year plan and creating a long-term strategy to make AAPG more relevant, grow the membership, improve services, and find new revenue streams. Several decisions were difficult, but I believe will leave the organization on a strong financial footing going into next year.
While there have been many great improvements that have occurred in the past year with regard to modernizing and bringing AAPG into the 21st century, I have been surprised at the pushback from some members who believe in what I view as “the old AAPG.” These individuals are well meaning, however they believe in old models of governance and organizational structure that in my opinion are unsustainable and ask too much time from too many individuals. This is most easily seen by the lack of membership participation and the inability of the organization to develop a healthy leadership bench. In the most recent elections, the Nominations Committee struggled to find two candidates to run for president-elect, vice president-sections, and treasurer. In addition, typically only 20 to 25 percent of the membership actually vote and as a result, we often see the same people influencing the organization and a lack of developing new leadership from younger members being part of the discussion on how to improve AAPG and make it sustainable going forward.
Over the past year, I have focused on engagement with student chapters and universities through the Imperial Barrel Award competition. This year we had more than 80 teams participate across the world, and the young professionals chapters have demonstrated remarkable energy and commitment. But engagement is a two-way street. It requires members – seasoned professionals like you – to step forward as mentors, judges, and sponsors. It requires showing up. It requires believing in the next generation and giving them the opportunity to build AAPG for the future. I am forever thankful to all AAPG members who volunteer their time to support the next generation of geoscientists.
The Measure of Our Legacy
The measure of AAPG’s greatness and legacy is not in what we have done or currently possess. The true measure is in what we give away. During my President’s Tour to universities across Texas and the Rocky Mountain Section, I was struck by the passion of students pursuing geoscience careers and the commitment of faculty working with limited resources to provide quality education. Yet, I was equally concerned by the erosion of core geoscience curricula – structure, stratigraphy, petrology, sedimentology – courses being eliminated due to lack of enrollment and faculty retirements.
This is not a problem that AAPG can solve alone. It is also a problem we cannot ignore. Our discipline faces a fundamental challenge: the next generation of geoscientists must be trained in fundamentals while also embracing the tools and technologies that are reshaping our industry. That balance is delicate, and it requires wisdom and understanding “horses for courses”: using the right tools for the right problems and keeping the main thing the main thing.
Energy Security is National Security
This year has taught me that energy is no longer simply an industry concern – it is a matter of national and global security. The volatility we witnessed in March and April, the supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by geopolitical conflict, the predicted cumulative 20-million-barrel-per-day production decline anticipated over the next 15 years – these realities demand that AAPG members step forward as thought leaders.
We must do more than extract resources. We must educate the public. We must help policymakers understand the full cost-benefit analysis of energy choices. We must be the rational voice in a debate too often driven by emotion and ideology. As geoscientists, we understand regional context, basin evolution, and systems thinking. These same skills apply to the energy transition dialogue. We must step back and see the entire landscape – not just climate, but poverty, hunger, energy access, and the human condition.
The question before us is not whether we will have an energy transition. The question is: Who will lead it? Who will ensure it is grounded in sound science, realistic economic models, and serves humanity?
The Work Ahead
Consistency always triumphs. This is a lesson I learned during my time in graduate school at Amoco, watching quiet geologists produce maps of remarkable insight through steady, daily work. It is a lesson reinforced by a year of watching AAPG members, staff, and volunteers execute the vision we set at the beginning of this term.
The AAPG Academy is being formed. The Imperial Barrel Award is expanding to include critical minerals and mergers-and-acquisitions modules. The Alumni Tour is designed for connecting industry professionals with students at their alma maters. The Young Professionals Network is growing and continues to need support. Partnerships with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Society of Petroleum Engineers are strengthening in our joint meetings. And our membership, while facing challenges, remains at the intersection of industry and academia – a unique and powerful position.
But none of this happens without you. The next president will inherit an organization with stronger finances, clearer strategy, and renewed focus on our core mission: advancing the science of geology and the professionalism of geoscientists. However, the real work – the daily work, the steady work – belongs to our members.
A Final Thought
Early in my tenure, I often spoke about playing the long game. I was reminded that, like baseball, just because you strike out on one pitch does not mean you will strike out on the next. Uncertainty and risk are not the same thing. What matters is learning from each experience and staying focused on what you can control today.
This year, AAPG took several important steps. We made difficult financial decisions. We modernized our systems. We engaged with students and faculty. We challenged ourselves to think holistically about energy, environment, and society. We invested in the next generation.
The fork in the road is behind us. The path forward is clearer. But the journey continues.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your president. I am proud of what we have accomplished together. And I am confident that AAPG’s best days lie ahead – if we remain committed to our mission, engaged with our members, and focused on developing the next generation of geoscientists who will lead this industry forward.
Thank you for a remarkable year.
