Reasons to Renew your CSEG Membership

2015 has been a challenging year for our industry. Everyone is affected at some level by low commodity prices, shrinking cash flows, and shrinking budgets. Since I’ve been a part of the Executive Council, along with my new responsibilities, I have become much more aware of the wide, sweeping impact that this downturn has had on our larger community. For all the uncertainty and hardship that you face, you have the opportunity to witness people making the best of tough situations with grace and determination. I have seen that in friends and co-workers, and I have seen that in the CSEG as a whole.

In the face of more pressing matters, the greater community may not realize that the CSEG and the CSEG Foundation (CSEGF) are experiencing difficult financial situations as well. Major revenue sources like GeoConvention and Doodletrain, the value events like the Technical Luncheons, which are at near breakeven, as well as the the many other programs funded by sponsors and CSEG revenue are all being scrutinized.

Through all of this, the CSEG and CSEGF are finding creative and innovative ways to continue to deliver resources and value to our members. For example, the Emerging Professional Program (EPP), a program open to all members that provides learning opportunities including the Junior Geophysicist Forum, technical workshops and soft skills development, is holding 5 events between October and December. Both internal and external funding sources are difficult to come by, but the CSEGF found a way to divert contingency funds to help ensure that these events will occur. The CSEG Foundation has a special projects fund that is intended to help members in need. Companies are stepping up to help CSEG members as well, like Sigma Explorations which has donated funds to cover a number of free tickets to Technical Luncheons for unemployed members.

Here is summary of your member benefits with important dates where available:

Technical Development

As a member of the CSEG, you will have access to geophysical and geoscientific technical information and continuing education through a variety of opportunities and activities.

  • Each membership includes a subscription to the CSEG’s official publication, The RECORDER, and exclusive member access to the most recent past publications.
  • CSEG Technical Luncheons promote the science and application of geophysics and highlight topics of current interest. Upcoming Technical Luncheons:
  • The 2016 CSEG Distinguished Lecturer, Mauricio Sacchi, is touring Canada to present “New and not-so-new applications of low-rank matrix and tensor completion to seismic data processing”. Please refer to the CSEG website for more information on the CSEG Distinguished Lecture Tour.
  • Members can attend the GeoConvention and GeoConvention Workshops for a discounted rate and network and learn with fellow industry professionals. Next year’s GeoConvention is occurring earlier than the typical May timeframe. Mark your calendars for GeoConvention 2016 during March 7 – 11th.
  • The CSEG DoodleTrain is a week-long collection of continuing education courses for geophysical technologists, processors, and interpreters. This year’s DoodleTrain is being held November 2-6th.
  • The CSEG Lunchbox Geophysics and the Microseismic User Group (MUG) host regular lunchbox meetings and are available to all members. Lunchbox Geophysics and MUG have each hosted 6 diverse talks so far in 2015.
  • The 2016 CSEG Symposium is the fifth annual event which will showcase the CSEG’s best speakers, with talks highlighting our mission to estimate the truth about the earth in a case study format. This year the Symposium will posthumously honour Bill Nickerson and will feature the themes of Integrity, Knowledge, and Wisdom.
  • The Value of Integrated Geophysics (VIG) committee actively collects and shares geophysical value-oriented techniques, and suggests how to illustrate these methods and results to other disciplines and stakeholders.

Social Opportunities

Get to know other industry people and maintain your relationships with our society’s various social activities.

  • The CSEG DoodleSpiel has been hurrying hard since 1972. The annual event typically boasts over 300 attendees and is a great social event for the competitive as well as the recreation curler. Stay tuned for information on DoodleSpiel 2016.
  • Another tradition, the CSEG Ski Spree, has been hitting the slopes since 1968. The event is a weekend of fun for the whole family, with many NOVEMBER 2015 CSEG RECORDER 7 social events, at Fairmont, British Columbia. Stay tuned for information on DoodleSpiel 2016.
  • Doodlebug Golf, T-Wave Golf, and Women in Seismic (WiSE) Golf tournaments are a great opportunity to hit the links with your industry friends, while meeting new ones.
  • The annual CSPG/CSEG Road Race & Fun Run occurs along the beautiful Bow River pathway in Calgary.

Professional Resources

  • The Emerging Professionals Program (EPP) is an initiative by the CSEG and the CSEG Foundation open to all members; it provides learning opportunities, including the Junior Geophysicist Forum, technical workshops, and soft skills development. Upcoming EPP Events:
    • November 16, 2015 –Junior Geophysicists Forum with guest Speaker Brian Schulte
    • Friday December 4th – Microseismic discussion with Shaun Maxwell
    • December (date TBA) – Young Professionals Link social hosted by the SEG, SPE, CSPG, AAPG, CSEG, and CWLS

Public & Student Outreach

The CSEGF promotes the development of geophysical knowledge, education and public awareness.

  • High school, technology and university students can apply for CSEG Scholarships
  • For post-secondary students, the Geophysical Industry Field Trip is a multi-day trip with exposure to industry acquisition, processing and interpretation, as well as a field trip and mixer.
  • The CSEGF Mentorship Program offers students the valuable connection to a CSEG member in the geophysical industry.
  • The CSEGF sponsors Earth Science for Society (March 13-15, 2016), Seismic In Motion Field School, as well as various conferences and talk series across the Canada.
  • All CSEG members can apply to the CSEGF for Travel and Educational Grants to host or attend educational events, such as conferences, workshops, and field excursions.
  • CSEGF Outreach volunteers share awareness of geophysics and geoscience through career fairs, classroom visits, and teacher, university and student conferences.

Volunteer Opportunities

Join our more than 300 volunteers to assist in the operation of the CSEG and CSEGF and their various functions and initiatives.

There are over 40 CSEG and CSEGF committees that are looking for volunteers like you to provide valuable assistance. You will have social and professional networking opportunities, as well as challenging opportunities for personal and professional development. From assisting with a career fair booth to running a committee as part of the CSEGF board or CSEG Executive Council, there is a place for you to help and grow within the CSEG.

There are currently opportunities in the CSEGF General Outreach Committee for a Booth Coordinator, a Financial Analyst and a Secretary position. Please contact memberservices@cseg.ca if you are interested.

If you are looking to improve your mentorship skills and help a university student get some exposure to the industry, the CSEGF Mentorship Program is always looking for mentors. Please contact mentorship@cseg.ca if you are interested.

Do you enjoy volunteering with youth? ESfS needs geoscience volunteers from Saturday March 12 to Tuesday March 15, 2016 for a variety of tasks. See the Earth Science for Society website for more information.

In summary, the CSEG membership is a group of real people, with families and loved ones, with a passion for science, a curiosity about the earth, a drive to excel, and a need to cut loose now and again. What do we do when times are tough? We stick together. And we can do so because each one of us can identify with the larger community. Even if you prefer toughing things out on your own, I would expect you’d discover things you didn’t realize you needed are right here as part of the membership. I’ve been a member of the CSEG for the past 6 years, and I’m constantly discovering new and unanticipated benefits to being a part of this great community. Your 2016 CSEG Membership renewal will keep you connected, and will help you to further your development and have access to our many entertaining social events. Don’t forget to renew!

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