CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL PRESIDENT-ELECT
AIPG has played a pivotal role in my professional life. I started my geologic career while still an undergraduate student working at the United States Bureau of Mines in Bruceton, Pennsylvania where I was mentored by patient and generous coal geologists, a few being AIPG members. After graduate school, I worked in the oil industry on the North Slope of Alaska, and later in California. In 1989, I joined the environmental industry and AIPG. Through AIPG I have made countless friends, acquired business opportunities, and co-authored articles and technical books with esteemed AIPG members. In 2002, I noticed a TPG article about international teach- ing opportunities; I applied and was awarded four Fulbright grants over a decade. I invested in AIPG, the flagship society for professional geologists, so it is a great honor to be asked to run for AIPG President-Elect 2022.
I have seen many improvements in AIPG, including the creation of different classes of membership, the encouragement of student chapters, and now a call for more diversity. Through it all, AIPG has had terrific national meetings, been a strong voice for the profession and licensure, published a wonderful magazine, maintained a great and supportive staff, and offered some of my favorite geology field trips.
Over a decade ago I noted that many geology students never met a practicing professional geologist while at a college or university. To remedy this and encourage geology students, I sponsored four AIPG student chapters: University of California Davis (since 2010), Sonoma State University (since 2017) and University of California Santa Cruz (since 2020). In 2017, I sponsored AIPG’s first international student chapter at the Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University in Nanded, India; in 2020 they won the AIPG student chapter of the year award. During COVID-19, the California Section has had Zoom meetings with our student chapters to keep connected and in January 2021 we had our sixth-annual successful “Ask for the Job” interview, resume critique, and networking ses- sion which included dozens of students and professionals. I am currently working with the students and members of the California Section to co-chair the 2021 National Meeting in Sacramento (Oct. 23-26).
AIPG clearly provides significant value to a professional geologist’s career. Successful organizations inspire, attract, engage, and retain new and current members. If elected President-Elect, I will prioritize with the Executive Committee to grow membership. My strategy is to review and implement current and past AIPG leaders plans to engage our members. This includes developing a long-term mentoring program which links senior members with geology students and Early Career professionals.
Other current issues I would like to work on include (1) developing a program for continuing education, (2) planning more mini-workshops for national meetings that build take- home skills for participants, (3) envisioning AIPG’s CPG to be recognized as the preeminent credential for the entire geologi- cal profession, (4) encouraging diversity in our membership through an inclusive participation, and 5) developing strategic partnerships with complimentary associations with which we share values and interests.
Candidate for AIPG National President-Elect
Jim Jacobs CPG-7760
Mill Valley, California
I enjoyed giving geology talks at the local K-8 schools, as many other AIPG members have done, inspiring future sci- entists, one classroom at a time. However, if we can inspire K-12 teachers and earth science writers on a larger scale by linking with their professional associations, we can leverage our strengths with other organizations to achieve compli- mentary objectives of diversity and enthusiasm for geology. Engaging the earth science educational and published com- munities can be facilitated by recognizing terrific K-12 earth science teachers and science writers with awards and inform- ing the strategic partner organizations of AIPG’s programs. Cost for accomplishing this goal would be volunteer labor. And international membership could be explored for future membership growth.
The geological professional ladder can start at an early age with a love for the outdoors, from collecting rocks and from having inspiring K-12 science teachers and family mentors. Inspiring students with earth science at a much younger age results in more geology students in college. AIPG can inspire and connect with K-12 science teachers and science writers. AIPG could engage with strategic partners such as the National Science Teaching Association to invite K-12 science teachers on the excellent AIPG field trips and to our meetings. We could connect with the National Association of Science Writers and cooperate on mutually beneficial writing and policy projects.
Ultimately, our long-term success will be determined not only by how well we serve our current and future members, but by how well we inspire, attract, engage, and retain our members and serve the geologic community. I understand the position of President-Elect represents a three-year com- mitment (president-elect, president, past-president), 2) I have been inspired and rewarded by active membership in AIPG, and 3) I accept this obligation to serve the members of AIPG. I want this position, and I ask for your vote.
www.aipg.org
Apr.May.Jun 2021 • TPG 21
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
