A History of the Standing Committees Specialized Groups Meet Member's Needs

History of the International Explorationists Groupby Denise Stone and Carolyn Miracle Ross
The International Explorationists Group is a vibrant and active subgroup within the Houston Geological Society with over 400 members. It is dedicated to the special interests of the international exploration community in the Houston area, and is the largest group of its kind in the United States. The purpose of the group is threefold; to provide professional and social events during which members can get acquainted with others in international operations, to keep its members informed on general international activities, and to present technical talks on the geology and geophysics of various basins of the world.
The group was founded September 30, 1982 when Carolyn Miracle Ross wrote to then President Peggy Rice proposing the formation of a subgroup within the society that would be dedicated to international exploration. The proposal was accepted by the president and HGS board and Carolyn Ross was asked to organize and manage the group, and to serve as its first chairman. In order to determine the degree of interest in this new group, a marketing survey was designed and mailed to all vice-presidents and managers of exploration in all compa- nies engaged in international exploration in Houston. It was anticipated that the group would appeal not only to geologists, but to geophysicists, exploration managers and perhaps others, such as negotiators, involved in international activities. The survey indicated that some 300 people had an interest in participating. These people were about evenly divided between geologists and geophysicists, only about 40% of them were members of HGS.
William F. Bishop was enlisted to run the group and serve as moderator of the meetings through May 1984. Speakers were recruited and the first meeting was held in March 1983, with 210 persons in attendance. A committee composed of Moin Hussein (tickets), Hadi Khoja and later, W. David Wyman (meeting arrangements and logistics), and Nancy Dring (publicity) was formed to help with the details of the meetings. Carolyn Ross served as chairman of the group until September 1985, when it was turned over to Johann Christian Pratsch. In September 1986, W. David Wyman took over as chairman. Following Dave's transfer to Denver, Peter A. Emmet assumed the chairmanship from December 1986 to September 1988, after which Denise Stone was chairman until 1990. Pifiar Yjlmaz having directed the technical program 1988-90, took on the chairmanship as well for 1990-92. Thomas A. Tucker served as chairman until 1994. Edward C. Loomis served as the 1994- 95 chairman, and John Jordan from 1995-97. Martin Cassidy is the current chairman.
In an effort to improve service to both overseas and stateside members, the AAPG has anxiously looked to the group for ideas on international publications, educational programs, field seminars and conventions. Questionnaires from AAPG testing the viability of specific ideas and issues have been mailed to active members of the group. Responses have provided both useful feedback for AAPG's long term planning and helped in defining a broader more international role of what has typically been thought of as an American association. A very cooperative relationship between AAPG's International Development office, and the chairman of the AAPG International Liaison Committee, Nahum Schneiderman, has developed and is expected to continue.
History of the Environmental & Engineering Geology Committeeby Craig M. Dingler
The origin of the Environmental Committee can be traced back to the mid-seventies when several members of the HGS interested in environmental topics started to meet informally. Under then HGS President Ben Sorrel, Jim Stone headed up the first informal committee to work with the Houston Citizen's Environmental Coalition. Martin Sheets arranged several field trips during that period to view the effects of surface faulting and subsidence. This group evolved into an ad hoc committee, experiencing changes in participants and the meeting format. The committee's importance was underscored when past HGS President James 0. Lewis became chairman in the late seventies.
The Environmental Committee was established as a standing committee of the HGS in 1984 with Diana Dale serving as the first chairperson. The committee was charged with keeping the Society appraised of important matters concerning the maintenance, use, and possible damage to the surface and subsurface environments in the Houston area. Dr. Dale was instrumental in leading field trips to review the environmental geology of East Harris County.
Sheryl I.entini served as chairperson in 1988-89, and it was during her term that the registration of geologists concept was first brought before the Texas legislature. The committee has been educating HGS members on the significance of this bill ever since.
During the late 1980s and into the 1990s, changing federal and state regulations concerning treatment of the environment and the corresponding expansion of employment opportunities rekindled interest in environmental geology. Arlin Howles was chairman in 1989-91. Numerous local environmental field trips in the late 1980s organized by Robert Rieser, chairman from 1991-93, were instrumental in building interest in the committee. The group expanded to include geologists, geophysicists, hydrologists, civil engineers, and other professionals working in the environmental and engineering geology professions. Ralph Taylor, chairman from 1993-95, was instrumental in organizing the Superfiind Sites of Harris County and Wetlands field trips, arranging informal short courses on air monitoring and soils, and bringing in an exceptional list of dinner speakers.
Topics in environmental geology are diverse, and our meetings and seminars reflect current case studies, research, and regulatory affairs being worked on by HGS memmbers and others in the community.
History of the North American Explorationists Groupby Charles Sternbach
In 1990, Andrew Lattu created the Permian Basin and Mid-Continent Group which would become the North American Explorationists Group of today. Originally the premise was to sponsor technical talks for Houston-based geologists who worked Permian Basin and Mid-Continent areas. In 1992, Clint Moore (then HGS vice-president) recommended expanding the scope of the group as restructuring had resulted in transfer to Houston of many professionals working diverse areas of North America. Past Chairmen Chuck Buzby and James Cearley became important leaders in greatly expanding this group to continental-wide scope. Today our themes include: exploration and exploitation, large fields, unconventional reservoirs, new technology, and application of 3D seismic to geologic problems. We explore the entire domestic U.S. (outside of the Gulf Coast) and Canada. As a result of this group, the Houston geological comniunity is regularly provided the opportunity to attend talks and posters on East Texas, Oklahoma, Permian Basin, Utah, Michigan, Colorado, Williston Basin, Texas, Illinois, and Wyoming. We established ourselves as truly North American Explorationists with inclusion of Canadian talks. U.S. exploration is expanding into Canada and we will keep abreast of this trend. Our goal is to provide members of the Houston Geological Society with more opportunities to review high quality geological work in areas of North America and to ultimately help you improve your company's probability of success.Steve Levine recently served as chairman of this group expanding the program to include half day symposiums. The current chairman is Carl Steffenson.
History of the Emerging Technology Committee
The Emerging Technology Committee was initiated in th

source: 
Houston Geological Society
releasedate: 
Saturday, August 1, 1998
subcategory: 
75th Anniversary