Outreach Update

The Outreach Committee has been very busy recently and would like to take this opportunity to let the CSEG members know some of our activities. In September the CSEG Executive ratified our new mandate “ To promote awareness and raise the profile of the science of Geophysics and the CSEG”.

We have developed a long-range plan with the following goals:

1. Enhance our national status and representation
2. Raise student awareness of the profession
3. Raise awareness of geophysics in the public
4. Raise our profile internationally
5. Coordinate with other organizations as much as possible

Two major initiatives are already underway; one to raise the profile of the CSEG outside Calgary and the other to introduce school students to careers in geophysics. We are also working with the CSPG and the Burgess Shale Foundation to bring high school students to the joint convention in 2006. The Outreach Committee is also pleased to welcome the highly successful Young Geophysicists Forum as a subcommittee. A handy new Careers in Geophysics tri-fold brochure was designed by Judy Mahaffy, with editing by Perry and Helen, for us to hand out to students. We are in the process of designing a companion brochure about careers in technical support and field operations, with the intention of putting more comprehensive information about these careers on the website.

Ambassadors Program

Doug Uffen, esteemed former CSEG President, is spearheading an ambassadors program. These ambassadors will promote the CSEG and its activities in their localities with the material we send them, such as Recorders and information about the convention, the DoodleTrain and the Distinguished Lecturer tour. Doug has already recruited Lavdosh Bubeqi in Tripoli, Bernd Milkereit at the University of Toronto, Constantine Tsingas in London, England, Chris Jauer in Halifax, Erick Adam in Quebec City, Doug Schmitt in Edmonton, Dave Timko in Dubai and Mike Enachescu in Newfoundland. “The response has been wonderful and greatly encouraging. All these ambassadors are highly enthusiastic and keen to help the CSEG in this initiative”, says Doug “we have already had a request from our London ambassador to send a lecturer to speak on Heavy Oil and we are currently making arrangements”.

Student Outreach

Our student outreach program is headed by Perry Kotkas, esteemed former CSEG President, who is looking for opportunities for us to talk to students about careers in Geophysics. Our first excursion was to the first ever Calgary Career Show at the Round-up Centre in October. “It was highly successful”, says Perry “the new Careers in Geophysics brochure was very useful and a big hit. The PowerPoint show “What is Geophysics?” (coming soon to a website near you) that we projected onto the banner was also great”. Does anyone have any nice photos we can add to the show? Perry has been talking to science specialists and careers counsellors at the Calgary Board of Education. “We have already received many invitations to attend schools’ careers fairs or to give short presentations to high school students. We have a nice PowerPoint presentation and careers brochures for distribution. What we need now are volunteers to help us at these careers fairs” declares Perry. If you can spare a few hours during the day or a lunchtime occasionally, how about coming along and talking about your career in Geophysics to some young students? We would like to add to the list of people we can call on. If you would like to help please contact Perry at p.kkotkas@shaw.ca or Helen at jisaac@ucalgary.ca.