The DPA Executive Committee has been working hard to update our bylaws to allow the Division of Professional Affairs to be a more flexible and relevant organization as we continue on in this new age of our industry. While few people are ever excited about large updates to organizational rules and structure, this is an important task to set our Division up for greater success in the future. We’re streamlining the processes of governing the DPA to better reflect the realities of our Division and are rolling out changes to make it easier to join and participate in DPA activities.
This has been a time-consuming but necessary process to allow our organization to have the flexibility to begin growing again. I will give more specifics once everything is approved and finalized, but there are some exciting developments in store.
We are also working on rolling out new opportunities for outreach and growth. The new year will bring some exciting new programs as we continue to roll out educational opportunities that focus on professional development, ethics, and skill development for the professional energy geoscientists of the future. We are also in the opening stages of planning our events at IMAGE. Volunteering to help out with the annual meeting is a great gateway into helping to grow, both organizationally and personally. I got my start in DPA leadership because I was looking for ways to grow our membership among the (ahem!) … less seasoned geologists, but that is not as funny a story in the telling as it was in the experience, even if it is an important one.
Of course, getting new members in and retaining existing members requires us to provide value to our members. The DPA leadership continues to work on enhancing the value of certification as a tool to demonstrate an additional level of professional and scientific excellence to the business community. We are expanding efforts to connect experienced professionals with newer geologists, both through more traditional conferences and seminars and by expanding on the mentoring programs that have been successful.
I look forward to a year filled with opportunities in 2026!