The main purpose of AAPG President Charles Sternbach’s visit to Calgary this week was his opportunity to deliver the keynote address to the CSPG and AAPG Canada Region’s monthly luncheon. His topic was The Permian Basin (Prototype Super Basins) and Other Super Basins: Discovery Thinking, Innovation and Lessons.
It was a terrific talk, presented to a great gathering.
An added attraction was the chance for CSPG and AAPG members to meet Sternbach at a special President’s Reception.
Again, a wonderful experience.
But some of the biggest smiles of his trip to Canada may have come from an unplanned excursion – a “bonus” surprise visit to Mount Royal University and a chance to talk to, meet and then spend time with a large number of the school’s geoscience students.
“Who knew it would be a packed house?” Sternbach laughed. “Free pizza does the trick …”
The trip was arranged by past AAPG president (and Calgary resident) John Hogg. And the two presidents brought a personal passion to the visit: Both were once presidents of their respective AAPG student chapters.
The MRU visit completed Sternbach’s visits to geoscience schools in Calgary, complementing his visit to the University of Calgary – courtesy of professor Per Pedersen and Federico Krause, brother of Historical Highlights editor Hans Krause – and it’s 500 undergraduate and 200 graduate geoscience students.
Meanwhile, the MRU students had dozens of questions for Sternbach: What skills will be needed in tomorrow’s energy world? What can you tell us about hydraulic fracturing? Petroleum systems? And what’s the story behind the U.S.-Canadian oil price differential?
Sternbach gladly and anxiously answered any and all comers – and even had a few questions of his own for the students and others who had gathered.
“It was fun to give a talk to such a great group and meet so many wonderful people,” he said. “I learned a lot about Canadian geology.”
And that helped make the trip a memory to remember.
“They were really informative and inspiring to me.”