It has been said that the oil industry is not for the faint of heart. That has definitely been true this past year. Fortunately some of the major service companies say we have turned the corner, and activity in the oil patch is picking up! So I feel we can start this new season with optimism about our industry and look forward to an exciting year.
I am honored to serve as president of East Texas Geological Society. I have received so much knowledge, camaraderie and support from this wonderful society for many years; it is a pleasure to be able to contribute. I believe I am the first woman to serve in this position, at least in recent memory, and hopefully I will not be the last. Being new to the ETGS board, I am overwhelmed to discover the amount of time, effort and service these board members give to our society and have done for so many years. Most have served as society president multiple times and taken on many other positions. Dale Short did a wonderful job serving as President the last two years. He and many of the board members have such a heart for service to students and young professionals. Stephen F. Austin State University is the grateful recipient of a tremendous outreach from our members that benefits their geology students. Our members give scholarships, teach classes, arrange for donations of core, logs, and equipment, and help with placement of interns and graduates. We will be sharing more details about this partnership in the coming year.
In addition to our traditional successful events - the golf tournament, skeet shoot and tech expo - we hope to have some educational events in the near future. Most of us went into geology because we loved being in the field, and I believe in the old saying that “the best geologists see the most rocks.” With that in mind, we hope to get at least one weekend field trip together and perhaps a couple of one- to two-day schools. However, we need your input: An email survey will be coming your way soon. We need to know your interests.
The GCAGS convention will be held in Corpus Christi September 18-20th. If you have not already registered, there is still time. The pre-registration early discount deadline is August 7th. You can go to GCAGS2016.com to register both for the convention and to get information about accommodations.
Our speaker for our September luncheon is Blaine Hall. He is an expert on Big Bend, a place most geologists love. He has had a fascinating career doing exploration and research in many parts of the world, teaching, and being an interpretive park ranger at Big Bend Ranch State Park. Even though he retired in 2015, he continues to study the park and help guide research in collaboration with Sul Ross University and UT. I know we will enjoy his informative talk “Geology at the Crossroads, Big Bend Ranch State Park.”
Our September luncheon date has been moved! Normally it is the 3rdWednesday of the month, but since that date interferes with GCAGS, we have moved it back a week. Our luncheon will be at The Cascades Country Club at 11:30 on Wednesday, September 28th. Please don’t forget to make your reservations, and I’ll see you at the luncheon!
All the best,
Anita Paulssen
President, East Texas Geological Society