Executive Director's Message, Continued from p. 32 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
how fluids move through rocks. We know how to identify, map, and manage the contaminant plumes associated with human impacts. In the 1990s when I was a field technician, leaking underground storage tank removal seemed to be a daily part of our routine because society had begun to recognize that storing hydrocarbons underground came with risk. Mitigating that risk meant identifying leaking underground storage tanks and the associated contaminant plumes and doing everything we could to mitigate those impacts. Geologists were the project managers, removing and remediating leaking tanks. Once again, it was geologists that were on the front line of a new industry, working tirelessly to provide the solutions society demanded.
Today we are seeing the transformation of our energy grid as society demands more renewable energy, reducing the impact that our energy system has on Earth’s carbon budget. Geologists are at the forefront, finding the materials necessary to create wind turbines, solar panels, and high-density batteries. We explore for lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, working with engineers and corporations to bring those materials into the marketplace and to create the goods that society requires.
Today, we stand on the brink of another revolution, the AI revolu- tion. In less than five years, AI has gone from a novelty to an integral part of everyday life. The AI revolution promises to transform society yet again. These AI data centers require tremendous computing power, consuming large amounts of energy and requiring large volumes of water. It will be geologists working with environmental engineers and AI companies that identify locations where these data centers can be located as well as identifying places where local resources will be insufficient to meet demand.
For more than 200 years, geologists have been providing solu-
tions for society. In many ways, our profession is a reflection of soci- ety. Just as importantly, society may very well be a reflection of our abilities. As we peer into the future, we can be sure that geologists will be involved every step of the way. As we have for two centuries, we will be building the foundation of modern society, identifying those materials that society will need to meet their expectations for the future. Society determines what is necessary for the future and geologists say, “I can help you find the materials you need.”
I wish you all a warm, safe, and productive winter. Aaron W. Johnson, CPG-12229
Protecting, Defending and Improving our Geoscience Profession
profession and lump us in with cosmetologists, body wrap spas, etc. Over the last 15 years or more, it seems like the frequency of the de-regulation efforts has increased. I think that de-regulation was attempted once a year for three years in a row. If it wasn’t it sure seemed like it.
Recent legislation was put forward to de-regulate ALL licensed
professionals in Florida! We could not find out why the bill sponsor even put it out there; I was at a conference in October and two state representatives said no one could figure out why it was sponsored in the first place. Since no one liked it, it fortunately went nowhere.
We formed the Florida Association of Professional Geologists
(FAPG) specifically to take action to protect our licenses and we have done that successfully since its’ inception in 1994.
I mention FAPG and now AIPG because the membership in AIPG
was dropping and the FAPG membership was increasing, which is a reminder to us all that we have to be responsive to our members (think Sara’s efforts with NESTA, ABET and Geo-ACTS!). In around 2006, Bill Siok, the AIPG executive director at the time, contacted Dr. Jon Arthur, PG, now AGI executive director, about merging the AIPG Florida section with FAPG. The FAPG executive committee met with Mr. Siok and the AIPG president. By joining forces, we improved both the AIPG and FAPG, and because of that we have protected our licenses and also provide valuable testimony to leg- islative committees and boost our profile.
I had heard of the AIPG from a friend and fellow geologist, but didn’t join because meetings were held in the Tampa Bay region and it was primarily phosphate mining focused. That college friend, Jim Pease, wound up being a reference for me when I applied for my CPG! I wanted to join AIPG because I learned that AIPG was an important credential to have because of the ethics and integrity requirements. The AIPG and FAPG had different missions; together we are stronger than when we were separate organizations.
All of this is to say that we have made tremendous progress in
having geology recognized as an important profession and increas- ing the career opportunities for young geologists.
34 TPG •
Jan.Feb.Mar 2026 However, as Sara has discussed, many universities have diluted
their geoscience departments by combining them with other departments or have eliminated or are trying to eliminate them. I first heard of this as a founding member of the FAPG, and con- tinued to hear it when I was on the AIPG Executive Committee in 2008/2009. At the AIPG Executive Committee meetings in 2025 and our monthly status calls, as well as participating in AGI calls, we’ve learned this trend is continuing.
In 2009, the University of Florida’s geoscience department was
told that they had to cut their budget so severely, that untenured professors would lose their positions and teaching assistants couldn’t be paid, meaning professors would have to teach lab classes, which would result in their research time being reduced and research money would be lost. It would have been devastating to the entire department.
The UF president told the newly hired Dean of the College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) to make targeted cuts not just a 10% cut across the board, so the Department of Geological Sciences was one of three departments in CLAS that were targeted. The dean of the college tried to tell us that geological sciences is a small department so it really doesn’t matter. That didn’t sit well with the advisory board, department chairman and faculty. It was pointed out that the geology department was in the black and made money for the university.
The department’s existence was threatened, and the faculty and advisory board contacted many alumni to write the dean of the college and UF president and implore them to not make the significant cuts. The father of one of the geology students had taken a big interest in geology and learned of the impending cuts. Because his son found a great potential career in geology and the dad found that he loved geology, the dad contacted his friends. One of whom was Senator Bill Nelson, who flew on one of the space shuttle missions. Senator Nelson was from the space coast of Florida, who later became the NASA administrator, and had a keen interest in the earth and knew about the importance of geology.
www.aipg.org
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