DEG relies on the active participation of its members to accomplish its goals and objectives. If you would like to serve on any of these committees please contact the Division Executive Committee to volunteer.
The committees can be divided into three tasks:
- Contributing to new programs and publications;
- Supporting research and communications; and
- Worldwide efforts dedicated to outreach, leadership development and recognition of Environmental Geosciences.
Committees directly Contributing to new programs and publications:
- Annual Meeting
- Continuing Education
- CO2 Sequestration
- Environmental Geophysics
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Geohazards
- Hydrogeology
- Publications
The Annual Meeting Committee’s mission is to support the local DEG Chairman for each annual AAPG meeting. The DEG Past President is the Chair of this Committee, and is joined by the President-elect. The local DEG Program Chairs for each annual meeting also serve on the Committee both during the year of “their” meeting and during the following year, to provide continuity from year to year. In addition, each of the Committee Chairs listed above are tasked to advise the Annual Meeting Committee to provide programmatic suggestions for oral and poster presentations, short courses, panel discussions, and field trips. This is a new Committee, formed to make sure that each local DEG Chairman has the strong support of the DEG community as that person plans the DEG Program for the Annual Convention each year.
- Bruce Smith , Chair | Phone: +1 (210) 522-6085
- Mary K. Harris , Co-chair | Phone: +1 (803) 725-4184 | Fax: +1 (803) 725-4704
The Continuing Education Committee’s mission is to provide members with the knowledge necessary to conduct professional activities. This committee is the presence of the DEG in development of continuing education, academic curriculum, K-12, and professional development education opportunities and should coordinate with the AAPG Continuing Education efforts. Subcommittees will be designated to work with specific programs. This committee has no Chair and no members at this time. Volunteer
The CO2 Sequestration Committee’s mission is to develop programs for AAPG annual, sectional, regional, and international meetings, as well as lectures, short courses, and publications that will demonstrate the current CO2 Sequestration studies and projects as they are related to environmental issues and problems; to present CO2 sequestration-related subject areas and skills that may be of interest to fellow AAPG geoscientists including:
- Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Geological Media
- Regional Assessment of CO2 Geological Sequestration Potential
- Methodologies for Evaluation of Sites for Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration
- Experience and New Results from Current Geological Sequestration Projects
- Modeling and Simulation of Carbon Dioxide Geological Sequestration
- Monitoring Sequestration Performance
- Economics and Regulatory Aspects of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration
The Environmental Geophysics Committee’s mission is to develop programs for AAPG annual, sectional, regional, and international meetings, as well as lectures, short courses, and publications that will demonstrate the current applications of geophysical techniques to environmental problems; to present near-surface geophysical-related subjects and projects and to develop skills that may be of interest to fellow AAPG geoscientists including:
- Seismic methods
- Ground-penetrating radar
- Electromagnetic methods
- Non-conventional electromagnetic methods
- Very low frequency (VLF)
- Controlled source magnetotellurics
- Complex resistivity
- Borehole geophysics logging
- Gravity and magnetics
- Tomography
- Cone penetrometer
- Bruce Smith , Chair | Phone: +1 (303) 236-1399
- Michael A. Jacobs , Vice-chair | Phone: +1 (423) 571-3228
The Environmental Health and Safety Committee’s mission is to develop programs for AAPG annual, sectional, regional, and international meetings, as well as lectures, short courses, and publications that will compile and communicate the current safe working practices in all aspects of the geological sciences, including:
- environmental compliance activities at petroleum and energy minerals exploration production, and processing facilities
- safety considerations for geological field trips
- drill-site safety
- marine safety
The Geohazards Committee was formed to provide a forum and coordinating group for discussions on identification, prediction, preparedness, and mitigation for geological and other natural hazards and their impacts on the O&G industry (both conventional and unconventional) and world energy supplies. Geohazards of interest for committee activities include earthquakes and seismic hazards, water hazards (tsunamis and coastal and riverine flooding), subsidence (both natural and man-induced), mass movements (surface and subsea movements of all types), and volcanoes (both hot rock and mud), oil and gas seeps, and hurricanes. The committee’s activities include organizing technical sessions and other events where appropriate for AAPG annual meetings and technical publications in DEG and AAPG journals and books. This committee also serves as a liaison between AAPG and the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) for the topic area of Geohazards. As part of that liaison activity, joint AAPG-AIPG technical events can be coordinated or organized by this committee.
- Douglas Peters , Chair
The Hydrogeology Committee’s mission is to develop hydrogeology, soil, groundwater cleanup and water management programs for AAPG annual, sectional, regional, and international meetings, as well as lectures, short courses, and publications that will demonstrate the current applications of geological and hydrogeological techniques to environmental problems. The Committee will also promote AAPG/DEG as an organization that is relevant to hydrogeology; identify what the average AAPG member needs to know to be an effective hydrogeologist in the environmental geosciences; present hydrogeology-related subjects and projects and develop skills that may be of interest to fellow AAPG geoscientists including:
- Water resources
- Groundwater contamination and remediation
- Groundwater modeling-water resources and contaminant flow transport
- Site assessment and conceptual site models
- Groundwater geochemistry
The Publications Committee’s mission is to maintain publication of the the Environmental Geosciences Journal and coordinates between the publisher and DEG; identifies opportunities for the production of special or individual publications and projects consistent with the goals and objectives of DEG; provides recommendations to the DEG Executive Committee.
- James W. Castle , Chair | Phone: +1 (864) 656-5015
Committees supporting research and communications:
- Research
- Web Site
The Research Committee’s mission is to identify and foster the conduct of research needed by our members to improve understanding of environmentally sound energy exploration, development, production and use in the world marketplace. The Committee on Research works closely with the Committees on Environmental Issues and Continuing Education to provide AAPG members with knowledge of the state-of-the-science for environmental issues and the environmental knowledge needed for effective professional practice. Membership in the Research Committee is open to all members of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
Goals:
- To improve understanding of the “state-of-the-science” related to environmental issues that affect our membership.
- To support and encourage environmentally related research that will provide a balanced view of the effects of petroleum/energy minerals exploration and production on the environment.
- To develop an on-line database on the “state-of-the-science” pertaining to environmental issues and make these studies available to our membership, agencies and public.
Objectives:
- To improve understanding of the relative impact of fossil fuel use on global environmental change from the perspective natural changes that have occurred through geologic time.
- To improve understanding of natural variations in global temperature and greenhouse warming throughout geologic time.
- To improve understanding relative effects of natural and anthropogenic processes that affect global environmental change.
- To provide a balanced view of the environmental tradeoffs between fossil fuel development, production and use, and alternative energy development, production and use (geothermal, wind, solar and nuclear).
- To provide a balanced view of energy development, production and use while sustaining the environment.
The Website Committee is in the development stage. Ideally, each Chair of the Committees listed above would serve as a liaison from their Committee to the Website Committee Chair, who would work with AAPG Headquarters to update and maintain the DEG website with materials relevant to the broad spectrum of DEG members. Development of this Committee is currently under way, and will begin with the identification of a Chair who will work to define goals and objectives, to establish communications with other Committees as well as with DEG leaders in the Sections and Regions, and to identify new content for the DEG web site.
- Michael D. Campbell , Chair | Phone: +1 (713) 807-0021
Committees dedicated to outreach, leadership development and recognition of Environmental Geosciences:
- Membership
- Nominating
- Honors and Awards
The Honors and Awards Committee’s purpose is to identify DEG members whose contributions to science, outreach, education, and policy deserve recognition.
- Mary K. Harris , Chair | Phone: +1 (512) 471-1260 | Fax: +1 (512) 471-0140
The Membership Committee’s purpose is to develop programs for student/DEG members through coordination with other DEG committees; devise ways to increase DEG Membership.
- Mary K. Harris , Chair | Phone: +1 (803) 725-4184 | Fax: +1 (803) 725-4704
The Nominating Committee’s mission is to identify leadership candidates to serve on the DEG Executive Committee. Two members are the most immediate DEG past presidents; three members are appointed by DEG Executive Committee.
- Rebecca Dodge , Chair | PHone: +1 (678) 839-4067 | Fax: +1 (940) 397-4893