Over the past year I’ve had the opportunity to be mentored by many of the current Executive, a wide variety of volunteers, the CSEG staff and a few Past Presidents – thank you. The suggestions, the historical information, the contacts and the general support have all been greatly appreciated. Thank you to the outgoing Executive – I have been impressed by their initiative and willingness to share with the Assistant Directors who now step into their roles well prepared and with their own initiatives percolating. There is no doubt that the 2015 Directors will successfully work closely with the incoming Assistant Directors to form a cohesive team. I look forward to the upcoming year working with both the Executive and membership immensely. That said, it is potentially going to be a tough year.
The economic climate has certainly hit a number of companies and individual members within our industry across all demographics. Potentially the hardest hit are those who are least prepared – financially, emotionally and mentally. This is a time where the CSEG and our sister societies provide a critical support network for all members. There are many long-standing networking, educational and social events for members including the upcoming GeoConvention. Aside from access to some excellent new technology, interesting case studies and newly introduced geophysics based workshops, there are lunches, exhibits and other networking opportunities available. The financial outlay may seem burdensome with a sudden loss of income but the opportunities are immense. The old cliché of ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ applies, so come along to the GeoConvention with ideas, an open mind and a willingness to collaborate with fellow members.
There is considerable collaboration happening at the University of Calgary and in early February Rob Vestrum and I attended the inaugural SEG Student Chapter Paper Club that reviewed and discussed the classic paper “How Thin is a Thin Bed?” by Widess (1973). For those of you who may have been involved in early development of theory and technology, watch out for an invitation to participate as the Student Chapter researches other papers and reaches out to key players in the industry.
Given the present market conditions, the CSEG has two new initiatives targeted at members identified as needing additional support. If you find yourself unsure of your footing as an Emerging Professional starting out in the industry and need some mentorship, some networking opportunities and career guidance then please reach out to the CSEG and participate in the Emerging Professionals Program. This kicked off in February with an employability session led by Rae Shungur of Design Group Staffing. A variety of sessions will follow.
Likewise, if you’ve been hit by the economic dip then please come along to the early morning Tough Times talk series starting in April that covers topics such as resumes necessities, financial security, wellness, networking and creativity during a crash. This non-technical talk series is designed to get people talking, thinking, collaborating and watching out for each other when we all need it most.
Do you have an idea? Do you have an initiative to help the membership with networking, training, advice, be it for the CSEG membership as a whole or targeting just a dozen or so? In my December 2014 Executive Message, I posed a question to you – is the CSEG relevant to you? If so, great – please help to make it stronger. If not, then not so great – please bring your thoughts forward to the Executive and volunteer to help enact change.
Volunteers make our society strong and to recognise the effort of the hundreds of CSEG volunteers Member Services organised a social event at The Garage in February. The night had a vibrant energy and the enthusiasm in the room was contagious. Thank you to everyone who made it out that night and also to those who volunteer but could not be there.
Change within the CSEG, change in the workplace and/ or change in personal circumstances all bring a degree of uncertainty but also opportunity. So in these uncertain economic times – embrace the change, welcome a new beginning, be thankful for an opportunity to collaborate, fertilise new ideas and renew your geotechnical understanding. The CSEG is with you all the way.
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