EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
“Geologists are Solution Providers.”
Aaron W. Johnson, MEM-2783
awj@aipg.org
As 2020 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on an unprecedented year. The COVID pandemic changed the way the world functions, and fundamentally changed the way we, as a society, go about our daily business. The importance of the internet has never been more pronounced, especially in my house, where two teenagers with online school (and online social lives) share the internet with two adults who juggle con- ference calls, video conferences, cloud-based file management, and other work requirements. To compound our frustration, we have DSL-based internet, and are the very last house on that line, which means that during peak demand, our inter- net speeds fall to levels consistent with the dial-up service of the late 1990’s. Still, we make do the best that we can, and generally, we’ve been able to meet and exceed the demands of school, work, and our limited social lives.
I’ve also been reflecting on what it means to be a geologist in times such as these. Unsurprisingly, I’ve found that nearly all of my colleagues have been declared essential personnel. The business of cleaning up train wrecks and other messes, of exploring for raw materials, and providing energy solutions continues. Geologists provide a service that helps to build the foundation upon which modern society rests. However, since we are a small group of people much of society does not see
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Geologists provide a service that helps to build the founda- tion upon which modern society rests. However, since we are a small group of people much of society does not see the work we do. Our reward is a job that we mostly love in a field that gives us a tremendous variety of working environments.
the work we do. Our reward is a job that we mostly love in a field that gives us a tremendous variety of working environ- ments. These facts bode well for the future of our profession.
32 TPG •
Jan.Feb.Mar 2021
My friend and colleague, Vitor Correia, often says that “Geologists are solution providers.” What he means is that as society decides what things it values, it is geologists who provide the fundamental materials and services to make those values a reality. If society decides that it wishes to move to an energy system that incorporates more renewable energy, it will be geologists that find the cobalt, and copper, and nickel, and lithium, and other materials that are required to make that transition happen. If society decides that PFAS’s must be addressed, it will be geologists that figure out how to trace and clean up those substances. As our reliance on computer and internet technologies increases, we geologists will explore for critical rare earth elements, for gold, and platinum, and we will provide the crucial geological information to determine where to site communication and power lines, and other criti- cal infrastructure. Our work as geologists helps to underpin the future.
Note: We often do this work in concert with engineers but given our longstanding friendly rivalry with engineers, I’ll only mention them in passing, and just this once.
In his 1788 papers and in his 1795 book, Theory of the Earth, James Hutton outlined the principle of Uniformitarianism, which often is summarized as the simple phrase, “The Present is the Key to the Past.” In what I’ve come to think of as the ultimate irony, we geologists, who study a field that is so firmly rooted in understanding the past, now hold the key to the future. We might just as well say, “The Past is the Key to the Future.” As society determines its values, our knowledge of the past will help us provide the solutions of the future. As a result, geologists will have tremendous opportunities moving forward. Of course, numerous uncertainties will exist, and we will have to navigate those uncharted waters. However, much as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts ultimately created the modern environmental consulting field, changes in technology and shifts in societal values will create new opportunities for geologists.
If 2020 has taught me anything, it is that people are resilient and creative, and we find ways to survive and thrive, even in the face of significant adversity. Among professions, it is my opinion that geologists are uniquely positioned to find oppor- tunity during periods of significant change. I believe that we are entering a period of such change, and that our profession is positioned to provide the solutions that society will require as we move forward.
I wish each of you a warm, safe, and productive winter. Aaron
www.aipg.org
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