CANDIDATE FOR AIPG NATIONAL SECRETARY
Candidate for AIPG National Secretary
Sara K. Pearson, CPG-10650 Portland, Michigan
I am proud to be a geologist and passionate about sharing knowledge, bringing people together, and advancing the pro- fession. I am equally proud to be a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) and being part of an organization whose members represent the many differ- ent disciplines of the profession worldwide. I stand amongst the company of many outstanding scientists whose expertise, integrity, and adherence to high ethical standards are recog- nized globally. I am humbled, honored, and excited to accept the nomination for secretary.
Since my first five-year term (2006-2010) serving on the Michigan Section’s Executive Committee, I have been an enthusiastic participant and leader in section activities. I was first invited by a member of the executive committee to take on a leadership role at a time when I did not see those qualities in myself. I was hesitant, but I agreed to take that first step because someone else believed in me. I strive to pay this forward encouraging students and young professionals.
Today, I am thankful that I trusted his judgment and not
my own. I attended my first national annual meeting hosted by my home section and participated in my first field trip since college.
reasons for becoming a geologist.
It sparked fond memories and one of the best I don’t know a geologist
who doesn’t embrace the opportunity to see and learn first hand by exploring formations, touching and studying rocks and minerals up close, and theorizing the processes that cre- ated them. The following year I attended the national annual meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona and was hooked after the field trip to the Grand Canyon led by the late Paul Lindberg. His enthusiasm for leading the trip, sharing his knowledge, and overall passion for geology was infectious.
I was inspired to follow his example here in Michigan. My
favorite part of being a geologist is sharing in the knowledge and discovery of new things. I began organizing the Michigan summer field trips making them family trips with activities that not only included geology, but also other fun, family- friendly activities. My hope was to introduce young people to geology and instill an appreciation for the earth sciences in them while having fun. I am a strong advocate for promoting K-12 education in the earth sciences. When my daughter was a young teenager, I would bring her along, and now, she enjoys showing her friends how to find Petoskey stones.
Bringing people together to share knowledge is even more important to me as a professional. I started my career in environmental consulting, and after 12 years, I chose to make a career move and become a civil servant working for the State of Michigan focusing on remediation projects. The one thing that troubled me about my career move was the reference to
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crossing over to the “dark side or the good side” depending on perspective. I do not see it this way. Why should the “us v. them” barrier exist when we often have a common goal of removing the exposure risks?
This belief led to the start of the Michigan Section’s annual technical workshop where we promote partnership and collab- oration to find solutions for managing complicated problems at remediation sites. Fellow CPG, Kevin Lund, and I organized the first workshops in the series promoting partnerships where consultants, owners, regulators, academics, and students (not all geologists) shared case studies with their peers about the various remediation topic themes for the workshops. The work- shop is in its ninth year and has become the Environmental Risk Management Workshop growing every year as an event that many look forward to attending. We learn from each other and develop relationships that help build trust among each other which is critical to moving contaminated sites forward. Young professionals are encouraged to present as well as stu- dents who are also given the opportunity to learn side-by-side with professionals and encouraged try out their networking skills. I believe that our workshop has helped break down “us vs. them” barrier.
In addition to the promotion of partnership, it is so impor-
tant to me that the workshop help provide financial support to the five Michigan student chapters, support for K-12 geoscience programs, and scholarships for college students. We are achieving this goal.
In recent years, I have been attending the annual National Meetings and have sincerely enjoyed meeting fellow members outside of Michigan and forming new friendships. My passion for knowledge sharing and promoting the profession and our organization prompted me to take on the role of design editor for our national journal, The Professional Geologist. I look forward to the articles every month and have been impressed with the quality of the work produced. My goal is to do these impressive articles justice in the layout bringing a fresh updated look to our readers. Again, it makes me proud to be able to stand amongst so many talented people.
Serving the organization has truly been a privilege for
me, and I am excited about contributing well into the future. My goal is to work with our team to bring people together, help move the organization forward, and uphold the values upon which our organization is based. As national secretary, I will approach the role with as much energy, enthusiasm and creative thinking as I have given to all of my roles in the organization including my current positions as Vice President of the Michigan Section and National Ethics Chairperson.
www.aipg.org
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