After sponsoring several successful networking events over the years, the Young Professionals (YP) Committee has a pretty good idea of what draws a crowd.
Now, thanks to AAPG Eastern Section YP Lead Merril Stypula, we can add bowling to that list.
It happened at the Eastern Section's annual meeting last fall in London, Canada, when about 35 meeting participants representing a combination of students, YPs and experienced professionals gathered at Palasad, an ultra-chic bowling alley, for the YP Meet and Greet.
Attendees enjoyed refreshments, played pool and tried their luck out on the lanes. A highlight of the evening was the gift card raffle where five lucky winners were selected.
Importantly, participants also had the opportunity to mingle and talk with a number of geoscientists in various stages of their careers, including AAPG President-Elect John Hogg.
"He was very impressed with our effort," Stypula said. "It was great for him to see how the AAPG YPs are trying to evolve and grow. He really appreciated being included in our event, and I think he was a great addition to the overall mix of attendees."
Following the success of the London Meet and Greet, Stypula shared the YP perspective on the future of AAPG with the Eastern Section Council. Like many groups within AAPG, the council is eager to see increased YP involvement at both the Section-level and within the Association globally.
Council suggestions like recruiting YP members to co-chair Eastern Section committees already align with the goal of the YP Committee to see more YPs in AAPG leadership roles.
However, critical to achieving this goal is establishing a community of engaged YPs.
"Simply agreeing to show up to an event is not enough," Stypula said. "We need people to commit to taking on responsibility."
While Stypula and her colleagues in Pittsburgh have begun brainstorming ideas for future events in the Eastern Section, the YP Committee urges everyone to "Resolve to Get Involved" in 2015. The committee is looking for enthusiastic individuals to help grow YP communities, encourage AAPG involvement and support the future of AAPG in the Regions and Sections.
It's easy to become part of the team - just contact your Region or Section YP lead. You can learn about them on the Young Professionals Committee's Web page on aapg.org, and their contact information is in the online AAPG membership directory.
(Don't forget to indicate your city or geographic area.)
With your help, we can bring YP events to major cities, meetings and conferences around the world. Join the community today and be a part of something great.
"Resolve to get involved!"