2024 AIPG-TX Section Scholarship Awardee Anouncements

Henry Wise, President of the Texas Section of the AIPG, and Dr. Regina Capuano, Chair, AIPG-TX Scholarships Committee anounced recently that:

  1. Kaylah Arnold at the Sam Houston State University has been awarded a Ted H. Foss Undergraduate AIPG-TX Scholarship ($1,000.00).
  2. Jack McLaughlin at the University of Houston has been awarded a Gene Shoemaker Graduate AIPG-TX Scholarship ($2,500.00); and
  3. Rowann Remie at the Midwestern State University has been awarded a Gene Shoemaker Graduate AIPG-TX Scholarship ($2,500.00).

Formal presentations of the checks, plaques, with photography, will be made by the AIPG-TX District Representatives in District III, and District IV and other available AIPG Board Members at the respective Texas universities in April.

For information on the Texas Statewide Virtual Student Chapter of AIPG-TX, see (here).

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Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) Webinars for Students and Professionals – 2024

SEG hosts a series of webinars to address the needs of professionals in the field of economic geology. Restrictions in travel further amplify the need to have accessible content on career resources, technical training, and scientific discoveries.

The webinar series serve as a resource for all professionals in the industry.
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The Climate Case for a Career in Mining

Grist reported on January 31, 2024 that the clean energy transition requires minerals mining, but graduating students are reluctant to join an industry known for “exploitation” as believed based on their experiences in college.

Mansur Arief never imagined himself working in mining. As an artificial intelligence researcher finishing a PhD at Carnegie Mellon University, he developed safety algorithms for self-driving cars. But then he took a postdoctoral position at Stanford University, where he met Jef Caers, the director of the new research program Mineral-X.

Caers’ program seeks to reinvent mining for the clean energy economy by using advanced data science tools to help companies find and extract critical minerals like lithium in a more sustainable manner — and by developing protocols to engage local communities at the exploration phase, so they can decide whether or not new mining should be permitted on their land.

Read on by clicking (here).

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Texas Chapter AIPG Scholarship Application Deadline Extended to February 14, 2024

Dr. Regina Capuano, Chair of the Texas AIPG Scholarship Committee, announced today that the deadline to apply for both the Ted H. Foss Undergraduate Scholarship ($1,000.00) and the Gene Shoemaker Graduate Scholarship ($2,500.00) have been extended to February 14, 2024.

For additional details on how to apply for one of the scholarships, see (Here).

 

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TEXAS CHAPTER AIPG OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS AGAIN FOR 2024

The time to apply for a scholarship is now. The Texas Chapter of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG-TX) offers scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Texas universities. Over the years, the Officers and the Advisory Board of Directors of the Texas AIPG raise funds for the scholarships from: 1) sponsored training programs, such as the GeoDayz programs held on even years, 2) field trips to various areas of geological interest in Texas, and 3) and webinars managed by members of the Texas Board.

The Ted H. Foss Scholarship is offered for undergraduates ($1,000.00) and the Gene M. Shoemaker Scholarship is offered for qualified graduate students ($2,500.00).

Applications are due on or before February 1, 2024. The Scholarship Committee will review the applications and make the announcement of the selections on March 1, 2024 by the Chair of the Scholarship Committee, Dr. Regina Capuano of the University of Houston.

Before you apply for a scholarship from the Texas Chapter of the AIPG, you need to be a student member. This is free. Fill out the form (more) and send it off to our National Office in Colorado with a copy to the Texas Section for confirmation. Be aware that the National Office of AIPG also awards separate undergraduate and graduate student scholarships to university students around the U.S. This webpage discusses only the Texas Section scholarships for students attending Texas universities.

For more details on the the available scholarships, see (here).
Also see the Texas Statewide AIPG Student Chapter for additional information available for Texas students.

Keep up with other Texas News (here).

It you have any question, let me know.

Henry M. Wise, P.G., C.P.G.
President, Texas Chapter AIPG

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Keeping Track of the Geologists Now Gone, But Their Publications Remain Behind Forever

This page is in dedication to our HGS members who are no longer with us. We want to express our bereavement to our stellar HGS members. Click the names (here).

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Added Note: All the Wise Reports are Available on the HGS Website

For keeping up with the Wise Report produced by our President, Henry M. Wise, P.G., CPG, President on the website of the Houston Geological Society, see:

https://www.hgs.org/multimedia_WiseReport

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The International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG)

​The International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) is a multidisciplinary, scientific platform for widening the discussion and creating awareness about problems of Geoethics and Ethics applied to the Geosciences.

IAPG is legally recognized as a not-for-profit association, has 3109 members in 129 countries on 5 continents, and can count on a network of 35 national sections.

IAPG works to developing theoretical and practical activities covering a wide range of contents comprising: philosophy of geosciences and history of geosciences thinking; research integrity and professionalism in geosciences; working climate issues and related aspects; geoethics in georisks and disaster risk reduction; responsible georesources management; ethical and social aspects in geoeducation and geoscience communication; geoethics applied to different geoscience fields including economic geology, paleontology, forensic geology and medical geology; ethical and societal relevance of geoheritage and geodiversity; sociological aspects in geosciences and geosciences-society-policy interface; geosciences for sustainable and responsible development; geoethical implications in global and local changes of socio-ecological systems; ethics in geoengineering; ethical issues in climate change and ocean science studies; ethical implications in geosciences data life cycle and big data; ethical and social matters in the international geoscience cooperation.

For Ethics Training Videos: https://www.geoethics.org/gallery

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Editorial – The Texas Tribune Yearend 2023

No one covers Texas’ lawmakers and politicians like The Texas Tribune, and that’s never more in evidence than in the odd-numbered years when the Legislature is in session.

After an unprecedented year with four special legislative sessions and an impeachment trial of the state’s attorney general, our statehouse coverage gave Texans context for understanding major debates about schools, taxes and corruption and how these debates affect Texas communities, families and individuals. This kind of service journalism was woven throughout the entire year: We started the year with a foundational explanation of state government in Texas and finished with a detailed look at the effects of an $18 billion sweeping tax-cut package.

The Tribune remains true to its roots as a nonprofit, nonpartisan publication that covers state government more thoroughly than any news outfit in the state. Our coverage remains free to read and free to republish. During this challenging year, we remained committed to rigorous, impartial, evidence-based, verified journalism. We recently became a partner of The Trust Project, an international consortium of newsrooms that adhere to the highest standards of transparency and integrity.

Now, our sights are set on 2024.

  • We continue to expand our regional team, which includes reporters based in Lubbock, Lufkin and Odessa, and are looking to hire our first full-time reporter based in the Rio Grande Valley, through a partnership with Report for America.
  • We are gearing up for the primary and general elections, including the political conventions and a U.S. Senate race, but our coverage won’t be focused solely on polls or “horse-race” coverage. Instead, we are taking a grassroots approach, traveling across diverse communities to consider the state of democracy in Texas. Instead of letting only politicians set the agenda, we will seek to find out which issues and concerns Texans care about the most and how democracy is being experienced at the local level.  We will have more to share in the coming weeks.
  • We’ll continue following issues that affect millions of Texans, including water supply and infrastructure, immigration and border security, the state takeover of Houston ISD, school safety, and debates over reproductive rights and the rights of transgender Texans.
  • We will continue to publish pieces that help readers better understand how their government works and how to participate, including our popular voter guides.

As I sign off for this year, I ask that you consider supporting the work of our dedicated journalists. Original, factual reporting — conveyed without opinion or attitude — is in ever-shorter supply. Show your support for Texas journalism — and for democracy, which needs independent, nonpartisan watchdogs to hold power to account.

Will you make a year-end donation to The Texas Tribune now?

YES! I support independent Texas journalism
An informed Texas is a better Texas — a healthier Texas, a more productive Texas, a more prosperous Texas and a more engaged Texas. I am grateful for the time you spend reading our coverage and talking about what you read here with your circle of friends and family.

With my best wishes for you, your family and your community in the new year,

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Texas is Getting Bigger than You May Know ….

We all know the State of Texas is huge. Most people don’t know about the TEX-A-PLEX. Do you?
It will be surprising. It was to us.
  • The triangular region framed in by the cities of Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio is experiencing a wave of growth of historic proportions more than anywhere in the world;
  •  In 2020, the population of the Texas Triangle reached nearly 21 million;
  • The Texas Triangle contains five of the 20 largest cities in the U.S., and was home to more than 70% of all Texans: City of Dallas, City of Fort Worth, City of Austin, City of Houston and City of San Antonio;
  • The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is bigger than all of Manhattan;
  • The University of Texas at Austin is the third largest land owner in the United States;
  • San Antonio is bigger than New York City and Detroit combined;
  • Houston area has a bigger population than Colorado and 34 other states;
  • Four of the top ten metro statistical areas are in Texas;
  • The Texas economy is on fire. The state added 660,000 new jobs last year – more jobs than any other, and twice the number of new jobs compared to its historical average. With Dallas by far leading the growth;
  •  50,000 jobs a month, I mean, that’s almost 2,000 jobs a day every day of the week for an entire year;
  • No state income tax;
  • The Tex-A-Plex is home to over 50 Fortune 500 companies. And has more Fortune 1000 companies than any other state;
  • At $2.4 TRILLION, Texas is ranked as the 9th largest economy among nations of the world by GDP, ahead of Canada, South Korea, Russia, and Australia;
  • Texas is the largest exporter of goods in the United States;
  • Dallas is home to the fourth most BILLIONAIRES in the world;
  • Houston has more than 5,000 energy related firms and is the energy capital of the world;
  • The Texas Medical Center is the largest in the world located in Houston, with major extensions to Katy, Texas (“Western Suburbs”);
  • 25% of ALL retail space in the United States is in Texas;
  • Austin is the live music capital of the world. South By Southwest Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater (ACL Live);
  • The are 12 professional sports teams in the Tex-A-Plex;
  • You can further your education in the great state of Texas at any one of the 159 universities and colleges in order to prepare yourself for a successful and prosperous career. Including 6 medical schools;
  • Texas A&M University has an enrollment of 74,829 the largest student body in the United States
Tex-A-Plex REFERENCE for additional information!
With this base to work with, we, the members of the Texas Board of the AIPG, should be doing much more. Let’s think about this and let’s discuss it at the next Board meeting in January, 2024.

Henry Wise, P.G., C.P.G., President

and

Michael D. Campbell, VP, P.G., P.H., C.P.G., Eastern Texas

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