TALE OF ETHICS
joint venture company and a very promi- nent government official. That arrange- ment had financial rewards for you and Walter. This new contract arrangement, to you, was business as usual. Or so you thought.
Throughout the country there was an increased demand to end corrup- tion in your industry. These cries came from within and without the govern- ment, from the political parties, and from NGOs. The national intelligence agency was concerned with the increased unethical and corrupt activities inside the national oil company and the minis- try of petroleum. The intelligence agents routinely interviewed and recruited local employees and managers inside the IOCs and the oilfield service companies. One such person was Frank, the first national that you added to your staff. You considered Frank your ‘right-hand- man’ and brought him along to that lunch. Little did you know that the State
Licensure, continued from p. 3 The principal lessons learned in this campaign have been:
• The only justification for an occupational licensing board in the current climate is that it is essential for the protection of the public health and safety.
• Boards must actually do something and be seen to do so: it is essential that licensed individuals bring abuses to the Board’s attention and insist that the Board acts.
This requires the courage to face the usual risk of retaliation against whistleblowers.
• Boards governing numerically small and not highly visible professions are especially vulnerable to attack.
• It is expensive and involves a huge commitment of time to fight an attack on a Board.
• The findings were based on a lack of information about the profession and required much time and dili- gence to educate the legislators on the importance of the profession and the need for an independent board.
The Board of the Texas section of AIPG, on behalf of all Texas PGs, wishes to thank National AIPG, the Texas Geoscience Council, AEG, Houston Geological Society, GSA, and all the individuals involved especially those out-of-state who recog- nized that an attack on the Texas Board was the thin end of a very powerful wedge, for all their help, financial and otherwise, in combatting this threat to the existence of TBPG.
I personally would like to thank Barbara Murphy and Doug Bartlett of the Arizona Section, and Helen Hickman and Anne Murray of the Florida Section, for helpful conversations based on their experiences of combatting deregulation in their states. I also would like to thank Rusty Branch, President of the Texas Geoscience Council, for the Herculean effort that he put, and continues to put, into winning this battle.
www.aipg.org
intelligence agents had convinced Frank that national loyalty and patriotism must take precedence over money and corruption.
Your arrest came swiftly but was kept out of the state-controlled media. You were arrested and charged with the violation of local and international laws. Luckily for you, someone persuaded the authorities to release you to your home country for prosecution. Rumors circu- lated that your ‘friend’ Edgar had a hand in your release from that hell-hole jail cell located just outside the city.
Today you sit just outside the USA federal courtroom. Your frayed nerves interfere with the thoughts and vivid memory of the first adrenalin rush you had got from illegal money, feeding your desire for self-gratification. You had known that the truly professional geologist would resist entering such a perilously seductive vortex. Your selfish
attitude, flawed behavior and reckless actions paved the crooked trail that led you downward into this unprofessional, unethical and illegal spiral. Those tem- porary and fleeting gains should have been subordinated by your personal pro- fessional integrity, conduct, reputation, credibility and stature. Those hallmarks of the professional geologist were lost. Soon the loss will include your personal freedom.
In that lonely isolated hallway your phone beeps and interrupts the judg- mental quiet. The message from an anonymous sender stated, “If you had only read and followed these guide- lines.” ended with the link: http://aipg. org/codeofethics. The second and final text message arrived soon thereafter. “A must-read/must-follow for all Professional Geologists”.
CONGRATULATIONS TO AIPG’S AGI 2018 AWARD WINNERS
On October 23rd, AGI announced its annual award winners. Two of the three are AIPG members:
Dr. Scott W. Tinker (CPG-10564) (Bureau of Economic Geology - University of Texas at Austin)
Dr. David Applegate (MEM-0002) (U.S. Geological Survey)
AGI Medal in Memory of Ian Campbell for Superlative Service to the Geosciences
Since 2000, Dr. Scott W. Tinker has led the Bureau of Economic Geology in Texas as the premier state geological survey, with over 250 research and support staff and students working on hundreds of international grants and contracts. His distinguished service – from his start in the petroleum indus- try to his more recent work as an educator and administrator – is superlative. Read more at
https://www.americangeosci-
ences.org/news/dr-scott-w-tinker-honored-agis-ian-campbell- medal-service-geosciences
AGI Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public
Understanding of the Geosciences As a USGS geoscientist and administrator, Dr. Applegate’s contributions are at the confluence of science, policy, and the public. He has been both a dynamic champion for the geosciences and a soft-spoken and assured communicator of scientific fact in times of crisis. Read more at https://www.
americangeosciences.org/news/dr-david-applegate-usgs-geol- ogist-honored-contributions-public-understanding-geoscience
About AGI Awards
AGI directly, or in cooperation with its member societies, makes a number of awards each year to recognize particular excellence in the geosciences. In addition, AGI works with its member societies to foster nominations of deserving geoscientists for consideration in a number of National Science Awards. To learn more about AGI awards, go to
https://www.americangeosciences.org/awards.
Jan.Feb.Mar 2019 • TPG 45
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