EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE What We Do and Why.
Aaron W. Johnson, MEM-2783
awj@aipg.org
I moved to Denver in June, 2016. I’ve grown to appreciate the beauty of the Front Range, the diversity of the city, both in terms of its architecture and its populace and the broad array of opportunities the City has to offer. Being new to the area, I meet many new people and without fail we end up talking about families, hobbies, and our careers.
As I’ve visited with people in my neighborhood and beyond I’ve been struck by the degree to which people don’t understand what it is that geologists do. When I mention that I’m a geolo- gist, the responses fall into three categories: 1. ‘Oh, so you look for oil?’ (This statement often is followed by a disapproving grimace and loaded question about hydraulic fracturing); 2. ‘I bet you have a big rock collection!’ (I do, but that’s beside the point); and, 3. *Puzzled look* followed by, “Oh, that must be interesting.” I’ve come to realize that even though Denver is a great place for geologists, the vast majority of people with whom I come in contact don’t really know what geologists DO. They don’t realize that geologists are critical to providing the clean water they use every day. They are unaware that in addition to fossil fuels and coal, geologists provide crucial expertise with respect to finding and procuring the mineral resources that are necessary to provide the technology we take for granted every day. Most don’t realize that geologists play an important role in remediating environmental issues, in predicting and mitigating natural hazards, or in working with city planners and developers to predict and minimize impacts related to new urban and suburban development. In most cases the conversation becomes a chance to enlighten my new friends and neighbors; the conversation becomes an impromptu outreach opportunity. Generally, I am able to learn a little bit about the kinds of concerns my neighbors have, and my new friends learn that the landscape they love depends on the underlying geology and also that society as we see it today, couldn’t exist without geologists.
You may wonder why this is relevant to professional geolo- gists. The reason is simple: numerous studies (e.g. Carson, 2013; Gibson et al., 2014; Gibson, 2015) indicate that most non-scientists have little understanding of geology and the role geologists play in today’s increasingly technological society. This means that in addition to our friends and neighbors, our elected officials and many of our policy makers are not well versed with respect to the geosciences.
The upshot is that outreach is critical. Indeed, since 2005, agencies that provide research grants have encouraged recipients to devise ways for their research to engage wider audiences (Andrews et al., 2016). These ‘broader impact state- ments’ have become a key component of academic research in the sciences. However, a similar enticement does not exist for the professional geologist. This fact is of concern because professional geologists are uniquely qualified to bring geology
to others. Professional geologists can provide a window into the skills and technology that are utilized to provide potable water to large populations, or to reconstruct habitat for game birds, or to procure mineral resources. Student members are especially adept at reaching out to K-12 students and teachers. Students, we need your efforts too.
Ultimately, outreach opens a dialog between people who may seem at first to be on opposite sides of an issue. My experi- ence with geologists has been that we love the outdoors too, that we value our world, and that we work diligently to minimize impacts whenever we can. When we engage the public, we are able to show them that our values aren’t THAT different from theirs. We can find common ground and provide clarity on a broad range of potentially difficult issues.
To that end, AIPG is engaging in two important efforts. First, AIPG has proposed a session titled “Public Perception of the Geosciences” at the 2018 Resources for Future Generations Conference, organized by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum, the Geological Association of Canada, and the Mineralogical Association of Canada. I hope that this session will provide insight into public perception and allow us to refine our efforts to reach out at all levels, from the elementary school classroom to the halls of congress or parliament. Second, our staff at the National Office is working to provide a session that focuses on outreach at the National Meeting in Nashville this September. This effort is in the con- ceptual stage. If any of you would like to be involved, please contact the National Office. Watch the AIPG e-news for more information as we move forward with planning.
I hope the rest of winter is gentle, and I wish each of you a verdant spring.
Best regards, Aaron
Works Cited
Andrews. E., Weaver, A., Hanley, D., Shamatha, J., and Melton, G., (2016), Scientists and Public Outreach: Participation, Motivations, and Impediments, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 53, n. 3, p. 281-293
Carson, G.L., (2013), Broadening Public Perception of Geology by Connecting it to the Biodiversity in Shenandoah National Park, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. v. 45, n. 7, p.566
Gibson, H., (2015), Know Your Audience: Public Perception of Geology from Anecdotal Evidence, Geophysical Research Abstracts, v. 17.
Gibson, H., Stewart, I., Anderson, M., Pahl, S., and Stokes, A., (2014), Public Perceptions of Geology, Geophysical Research Abstracts, v. 16.
www.aipg.org
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
