I wanted to use this column to talk about something that is difficult to measure, yet might be one of the greatest values of the AAPG: the intangibles.

I meet a lot of young geologists, students, and people who are adjacent to our industry and not familiar with the AAPG. A question I hear often is, “What can the AAPG do for me?”

I’m always a little taken aback by that question, because I don’t think I can answer it the way they’re hoping. Sometimes it even happens at one of our great conferences. Never mind that they are attending an event organized and started by the AAPG. I’ll play along.

Many of you know I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a geologist, I got lucky and figured it out, eventually. I, however, did start college as a literature major.

So, I came across a familiar poem the other day, which always reminds me of the AAPG: Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem, “Love Is Not All.” Millay tells us that love cannot provide the necessities of life, yet it remains one of life’s greatest treasures and most of us wouldn’t trade it.

Membership alone won’t guarantee success.

It won’t automatically provide a job or financial security. What it does provide is something that can be more enduring: access to knowledge, professional relationships, leadership opportunities, and a community of people who genuinely want to see you succeed.

Like many of you, I’ve experienced the volatility of our industry. I’ve been laid off, started consulting, gone back to school, reinvented myself more than once, and searched for opportunities where none seemed obvious.

The AAPG didn’t remove those challenges, but it certainly helped me navigate them. Being in leadership now is interesting. I don’t have to put together a focus group; I just ask myself what I would like to have available to me, or whom I would like to hear from, so far it’s been a great strategy for me. We are all more alike than you think.

History Rhymes at Any Scale

That brings me to something else I value deeply: our legacy.

I read a lot of old papers and articles. Our industry is so unbelievable cyclic. It’s very much like our beloved megasequences. While there are variations along the way, one way or another we end up back at the beginning. I bring that up because, today, we are a lot like our predecessors. The industry has always been volatile and challenging and just like back then, we sometimes need a lot of help and support to make our way. There are many excellent geological societies around the world, each serving an important role. But tell me about another organization founded by independent-thinking wildcatters, prospectors, and explorers. Geologists who were told there wasn’t any oil there. People who challenged accepted ideas, took risks, trusted their gut, and ultimately proved the skeptics wrong.

That spirit still defines the AAPG. And we carry that torch today as we explore for all reliable energy sources and processes.

I might be the first AAPG president born in the 1980s (please excuse all my movie and music references; I can’t help it). My generation is moving into leadership, and the next generation is right behind us. It is our responsibility to preserve the experience of those who came before us while preparing those who will follow.

One of the greatest strengths of the AAPG has always been its ability to bridge those generations when corporations sometimes fail.

I have been fortunate to have countless mentors throughout my time in the AAPG. Some of the best conversations I’ve had weren’t at the podium or during committee meetings. They were simple conversations from a fellow member checking in, offering advice, or reminding me that my business struggles were normal. If what we do was easy, everyone would do it.

Perhaps mentoring isn’t about solving someone’s problems. Sometimes it’s simply reassuring that we’re on the right path.

You don’t have to be an expert to mentor someone.

You don’t have to provide them with a job.

You don’t have to hold an elected office.

You simply have to care enough to listen.

That willingness to help one another has always been one of the AAPG’s greatest strengths, and I hope it always will be.

The current Executive Committee shares that commitment. We are working to strengthen every aspect of the Association, modernize where needed, support our stellar sections, divisions, regions/international members, and continue building on the tremendous momentum created last year by improving the Imperial Barrel Award competition and student-chapter interaction.

Most importantly, we want our members to know that they are appreciated. Whether your contribution is publishing research, mentoring students, serving on a committee, volunteering in your local section, or simply attending meetings and participating, you are helping shape the future of this Association.

There are many geological organizations looking to increase their membership. Competition is great. Most of the other geological associations consider the number of members to be the most important measurement of success, but I’m interested in something more meaningful than numbers.

The Best Members Make the Best Association

I’m always searching for members who appreciate our long history. I want innovators, entrepreneurs, explorers. I want disruptors. I want geologists who ask difficult questions, challenge conventional thinking. I want members who dream of making the next giant field discovery, who are passionate about improving lives globally. I want geologists who are confused when they hear about a box other geos are thinking inside of. We want to be the best geological association, and to do that, we need the best geologists.

These are the geologists and visionaries who will carry the AAPG forward.

This might be controversial, but I remember when AAPG felt more exclusive. The brand had a certain shine to it. People wanted to be part of it because membership meant something. It wasn’t about keeping people out it was about setting a high standard that people wanted to aim for and eventually reach.

After an industry downturn and COVID and a lot of uncertainty, and misinformed media and attacks on reliable energy, we understandably became focused on membership numbers and survival. Those were necessary priorities, I’m told. But I think it’s time for us to rediscover some of that confidence. I’d like to bring a little swagger back to AAPG. Let’s be unapologetically proud of who we are, the profession we represent, and the scientific excellence that has defined this organization for more than a century. Let’s hold our heads high and build an organization that people aspire to join, not because it’s exclusive, but because it stands for excellence. Excellence should be what we are all working toward. The EC is doing our best to improve our relationships to support our sections, regions, divisions and committees. We want to support our members who are the best geologists in their community, doing the best groundbreaking research and introducing excellent innovations and tech. AAPG members own a piece of great discoveries that allow freedom and energy abundance to spread all over the world.

I’ve been sharing about AAPG’s “intangibles”: our common experiences, our spirit and our culture. I also need to remind you of our member products. We have a new Field Notes newsletter, IBA and great student chapters. We have smart newsletters for our members to enjoy. We have this, our Explorer magazine, and we have generations of geological research available through our Bulletin, which has transformed the global petroleum and energy industry. I’m looking forward to our latest member benefit – the Datapages partnership with GeoScienceWorld and our entrance into the AI revolution.

A Brief Word on the AAPG Bulletin

I have been more than impressed over the past year with the rejuvenation the AAPG is going through. One example of this would be our Bulletin. After all, science and research are the foundation of our Association. Daniel Minisini, AAPG’s elected editor, has been a dynamo, working very hard to improve all aspects of our Bulletin – the submission process, the reviews, the quality of the submissions, geology notes, the focus on local research. Papers with local impact and papers with universal geologic importance. He has brought together possibly the best team of associate editors the Bulletin has ever had, from the sections and our from international regions. I hope you are considering submitting your latest work to our Bulletin.

We Have the Attitude for Victory

One of my favorite movies is “Remember the Titans.” It’s about a high school football team enduring some racial challenges amid the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. There is a scene in which the team captain is complaining about the way-less-than-stellar attitude of the team, when one of his teammates reminds him, “Attitude reflects leadership.”

I think about this a lot. I end my column telling you that this makes me … excited!

The EC this year, along with AAPG staff, are the most enthusiastic, optimistic, dedicated group of leaders. They are all extremely motivated to help you be the best you can be. I’m already seeing improvement. All the members with whom I am visiting are enthusiastic about our future. Our quality of member engagement is growing. Like in the movie, the AAPG has navigated through challenges but now we come back together and win, and have a lot of fun along the way.

“Everywhere we go, people want to know … ” iykyk

See you at IMAGE.

Join us.