Junior Geophysicists Forum

Before we update you with news regarding our next event we figured we should update you with our name change. The Young Geophysicists Forum (YGF) has undergone a bit of a name change, and we figured now was the best time to do it. To be more in-line with terminology and the industry the Young Geophysicist’s Forum is now called the JUNIOR GEOPHYSICISTS FORUM (JGF).

Many people have been asking if we were going to be writing an article for the RECORDER to let everyone know what happened at the last event. There have also been numerous inquires about future forums so we felt timing was everything and being an efficient bunch, we’re killing two birds with one stone by releasing this update in this issue of the RECORDER. So without further-ado, read on for information on the past, the present, and the future!

The purpose of the JGF is to allow current students and recent graduates of Geophysics, AND geophysicists with less then five years of experience the opportunity to network with established geophysicists in the industry. Although it was damp and rainy outside, everyone indoors seemed to enjoy the event and the opportunity to gather together.

Our first forum debuted during the CSEG convention (May 2005) and was very successful; feedback from the attendees prompted us to hold further meetings on a bi-annual basis (see September RECORDER Article for more details).

On Tuesday November 1, 2005 the second JGF was held again in Ceili’s in Penny Lane. Once again, it was a great success. Capitalizing on the response from the attendees of the previous event the second meeting was even better.

We extended the length of the event and decided to let everyone network more by not having the talks at the beginning of the evening, (although, personally I (Jeff) was hoping to hear another Lloyd Chipman joke). We added the “BINGO CARD” networking game which was designed as an icebreaker to get the juniors to approach and chat with the senior geophysicists. The Bingo card game was a lot of fun, informative, and definitely served its purpose as an icebreaker. Ceili’s removed many of their tables upstairs which allowed people to move around the room more comfortably and with the fireplaces roasting, a cozy atmosphere was enjoyed by all.

A great deal of time and effort went into planning these events and they definitely would not be possible without the sponsorship we have received. When we started planning the second forum, we knew we were going to need some sponsors. We would really like to thank Encana, Burlington and Talisman for donating the funds necessary for us to have the event. Many thanks also goes to Ceili’s in Penny Lane for once again allowing us to use their venue and ensuring that everyone in the room received one drink on the house!

To help get the second forum off without a hitch, we recruited some more hands to help. Susan Thomson (formerly of Devon) and Leslie Carlyle-Ebert (Pennwest) joined the committee. Leslie will be staying on the JGF committee. Susan was elected Assistant Director of Communications for the CSEG, so will be stepping down from the JGF. , We will miss you Susan, but rest assured we will hunt you down when your term on the Executive is up! J Additionally, Marzena Feuchtwanger (Geo-X Systems) has stepped on board and brings along previous volunteering experience within the CSEG.

To conclude with updates on the past and present, our last bit of interesting information is that the JGF now falls under the CSEG’s OUTREACH committee. By becoming part of the CSEG, we are now granted liability coverage and support from the Executive. By being part of the OUTREACH Committee, our events are sure to grow and encompass many more juniors that file into the industry.

Now for the future.

At the last forum, many people were asking when the next event would be held. The emails have been coming in with similar questions and so we are pleased to let you know that the next forum will be held on MAY 10th 2006. The venue has changed and this time around Quincy’s will be hosting the event for us. From your feedback we realized that traffic flow and the sound system were the two biggest issues we needed to improve, so we decided to try a new place. We believe this new venue will solve these issues and make it easier to provide a more relaxed atmosphere. To try and spice things up some more, we are planning on adding some short but interesting (and funny!) discussions at the beginning of the evening. Although the venue is larger than before, the JGF is a technical networking event, so attendance will still be limited as in the past. Burlington Resources, Talisman Energy and Suncor have already signed on as sponsors. We are looking for more sponsors, so if you are interested please contact one of the Co-Chairs, Carmen Swalwell (Carmen@geophysicalservice.com) or Mark Noble (mnoble@gxt.com).

Updates will be provided as the forum date approaches so stay tuned, and we look forward to seeing you at the next forum!

Remember, we need senior geophysicists that are interested in networking with students and junior geophysicists to attend the meeting.

If you have any suggestions, or would like to receive further information on the next JGF, you can email us at jgf@cseg.ca.

Your organizing committee, Carmen Swalwell (GSI/Precision Seismic Processing), Mark Noble (GX Technology), Doug Colvin (Talisman Energy Inc.), Jeff Gautreau (GEDCO) , Jolene Goring (Apache Canada), Kelley Classen (University of Calgary), Leslie Carlyle-Ebert (PennWest Petroleum), and Marzena Feuchtwanger (Geo-X Systems).