Presidential Column

Several main topics come to mind as I sit down in early January to write a column for the February RECORDER: the next Executive Committee, the Geophysical Society of Houston, and our Canadian Distinguished Lecturer tour.

I’ll begin close to home with the new Executive Committee. Election balloting closed after the second week of January. As of April 1, 2014 the members are as follows:

Thanks to everyone who chose to serve, particularly those who said yes, stood for election and were not successful in the end. A few public words, now, for the new members of the executive. I have come to believe that your role is not only one of prudent fiscal management and delivery of various services to members, it is more importantly a stewardship role. CSEG has been operating for over 60 years as a volunteer driven enterprise in large part due to the culture of the community. CSEG has always been a ‘place’ where competitors have met in technical and social fellowship. It is a rich culture that fosters technical exchange and advance, drives careers, and more fundamentally and importantly at the end of the day is simply fun. The number of active volunteers approaches a third of the membership – an astonishing rate of participation. To our new executives, steward that well, please.

This is an appropriate venue to announce a new relationship between the CSEG and the Geophysical Society of Houston. In January Tad Smith, President of the GSH, and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between our two Societies. The MOU’s purpose is “To open lines of communication and avenues for cooperation between our two Societies”. It commits the two groups to exploring a variety of cooperative high value ventures, at minimal cost and effort, including such things as:

• guest appearances by speakers
• exchanging technical and non-technical articles for publications
• offering visiting member local member pricing for events
• cross-promote and publicize events

From a CSEG perspective this agreement, the third of its type we have signed in the last 18 months, is rich with opportunity. The GSH is similar in size to the CSEG. It similarly lives somewhat in the shadow of the the SEG. From a technical exchange point of view, the GSH’s publication features regular articles by Mike Graul and Rob Stewart (and his grad students) that could be a good technical ‘add’ to the CSEG’s member service delivery. Thanks are due here to Tad Smith and the GSH Board, and the CSEG Executive – in particular Rob Kendall, Rob Vestrum and Paul Anderson who were instrumental in turning a chance ‘beer and bull’ encounter into a real inter-society agreement.

A few words about the CSEG Foundation’s Canadian Distinguished Lecture Tour are in order. The CDL is supported by Andreas Cordsen, through the Foundation. This year’s DL is Dr. Bernd Milkereit, and the topic is Seismic Imaging in the Presence of Strong Contrasts – How Forgetful are Seismic Waves? (http://cseg.ca/education/view/seismic-imaging-in-the-presence-of-strong-contrasts). Dr. Milkereit has, to date, 18 stops on his tour – an impressive total. It is worth noting that each DL sets up their own tour. The 18 stops include one in the US, and there is a possible 19th event in China. Sincere thanks are expressed here to both Dr. Milkereit, Andreas Cordsen, and to Lee Hunt and the rest of the CDL committee.

In other news, Satinder Chopra has been nominated for APEGA’s Frank Spragins Technical Award, which is “awarded to members of APEGA who are recognized by their peers for their integrity, expertise, and outstanding accomplishments in fields related to engineering and/or geoscience.” Congratulations on the nomination, Satinder, and good luck.

I’d like to conclude with a quick word about this year’s Symposium. The Honoree this year is John Boyd and if you haven’t registered, please do so. It will probably sell out.

Stay well.