Blog & News

Stand for election in 2018

Wed 13 September 2017

Category: Elections

It is an exciting time here at the PESGB, we have had a tough couple of years financially but we have come out of it leaner, with improved efficiency and ‘on mission’.

The Council and office team work closely together and share clear ambitions for the Society for both the membership and the services we offer.

Our ‘mission’ is:

Community

Our members are our community and we use this ‘ethos’ to inform all our decision-making.  The changes we have made with regard to rolling membership, the new database, increased engagement with the regional groups etc. have all been to increase the strength and engagement of the PESGB petroleum geoscience community.  

  • There is still much work to do, gender diversity needs further research as the gender split is 23% women and 77% men and we would be interested how this would be played out across the other Societies.
  • Opportunities to continue and build on the partnerships between PESGB and other Societies that lead to an increase in benefits to our members.
  • The Council have the capacity to influence and inform the PESGB’s activities and the membership communications.

Technical Excellence

Technical Excellence informs all the elements of education that the Society provides for the membership.  We are not an academic Society like the Geological Society of London, we are here for the people who work, have worked, or want to work in the Petroleum industries and arguably the technical content for this group will be the very best as there is tangible investment in knowledge within this industry.  The technical content is not just for work for the members but also for leisure as we offer field trips and events with highly knowledgeable leaders who encourage discussion and enjoy passionate exchange on the given topic.

  • The PESGB office team look to the Council to make decisions based on the technical value of topics, presentations and courses.
  • New initiatives developed as part of the partnership agreements and making use of our training space. Visiting lecturers from other Societies and debates around issues and theories.

Charity

The PESGB is a charity and it eschews profits for the benefits of the membership. Over the last 3 years the PESGB has funded 44 MSc students and consideration will be given to this scheme when the funds are available to make it happen again.  Currently, the focus is on grassroots activity, through schools, and the building of a population that has at least a basic understanding of geology.  The disappearance of geology as a subject from the national curriculum is a big concern for the PESGB and its members, so the little funding available is going to the Earth Science Teachers Association to train teachers how to teach Geology at A Level and to engage and inspire both geologists and geologists working within schools with resources, tools and a network. The PESGB would like to be instrumental in ensuring the public can join in the big debates about energy and climate with at least a basic level of understanding.

  • The PESGB’s GEOLiteracy activities that are built around the flagship Stoneley Lecture have been successful and this is set to get bigger and be an inspiration for the other Societies.
  • 2018 will have the first female presenter of the Stoneley Lecture. The Stoneley Lectures are a chance for members to engage the public in some of the most exciting elements of the geo industries.
  • We want to get sponsorship for the events in 2018 with an initial aim of breaking even.

Current opportunities:

  • President Elect – an opportunity to spend a year deciding what elements of the PESGB you would like to add, change, or improve. Action your ideas as President and maintain the change and support your successor as Past President. The amount of time you devote to this over and above the Council meeting depends on the individual. This role will maintain a balanced interest in Community, Technical Excellence and Charity
  • Outreach – If you enjoy the social aspect of the PESGB but would like to see more, alternatives, a more national focus, get in touch and help us provide the members with the kind of events they want to attend. This role has Community and Charity as its focus
  • Aberdeen Elect – Aberdeen is a regional area that’s ripe for ideas around membership engagement. The downturn has hit Aberdeen very hard but this means there is the biggest potential for positive change for the members in this area.  If you want to influence the ‘offer’ for Aberdeen and are willing to play an active part in the staging of DEVEX then this is a great role.  The PESGB office are committed to supporting those members in Aberdeen and we started the Aberdeen Stoneley Lecture in 2017, so those based in the region could participate without significant travel. This role will maintain a balanced interest in Community, Technical Excellence and Charity
  • YP Director – The YPs are the future of the industry, their experience of the oil and energy industries will be significantly different than those from a decade ago. This is a wonderful opportunity for an individual with passion, to galvanise the YPs to produce some seminal events that add to the current YP portfolio and harness the energy and willingness of those at the beginning of their careers. This role will maintain a balanced interest in Community, Technical Excellence and Charity
  • Education and Training – This role is ideal for a passionate Geologist as the selection and scheduling of training and field trips is always a discussion topic for the membership. The schedule of activity for the next 2 years must be engaging and diverse with the widest appeal to the majority of our members.  This role serves the PESGB Community and sets the bar for Technical Excellence.