Regions

Down your way

from Prof. Martin Culshaw, Vice-President for Regional Groups

The Society has 14 Regional Groups, 13 in the UK and one in Hong Kong. Of these, the Home Counties North Regional Group is not currently functioning, though it is hoped to revive it if a group of enthusiasts can be found to take on the task. Next year the number of Groups will increase to 15 with the formation of the Solent Regional Group, being budded off by the Thames Valley Regional Group, which previously covered unviably large geographical area.

The Regional Groups Coordinating Committee, which reports to the Professional Standing Committee, met in July. High-spots of the year have been the return to health of the Western Regional Group, and the slow recovery of the South East Regional Group. Both have struggled to find active volunteers to run them, but both now boast interesting activities.

A wide range of lecture meetings was held during the year, more than 80% of them on applied topics. Particularly noteworthy events included the South West Regional Group’s annual conference, ProGeo 2008. The theme for the meeting was Waste Management in the Extractive Industries. The meeting focused on the regulatory environment, technological solutions and economic opportunities for valorising waste from the extraction of minerals. It was well attended, attracting 79 delegates from 25 different companies and organisations.

Another keynote event was the Thames Valley Regional Group’s one day meeting on the London Clay, attended by over 100 delegates at Royal Holloway, University of London. There were many social occasions, ranging from the North West Regional Group's descent of Gaping Ghyll (with the Bradford Potholing Club), to the more sedate wine and geology evening held by the Central Scotland Regional Group.

A major advance in the day-to-day functioning of Regional Groups has been the fact that they have been granted, at last, access to the email address list of Geological Society members living in their areas. This means that the Groups can now contact most of their members directly and easily on a regular basis (subject to a set of Society guidelines).

During the year, the Geological Society Council set up a review group to look at governance of the Regional Groups. The first draft of this report has been completed.

Young Geoscientists Group

2008 saw a significant advance in the service that the Society provides to its members with the formation of an entirely new type of Group. The Young Geoscientists Group (YGG) was started in early 2008 by an inaugural committee of three early career geoscientists who met in Nottingham in March. The YGG has been set up to facilitate discussion, networking and support for, and between, early career geoscientists, up to and just beyond Chartership. Contacts have been made with the Regional Groups and similar interest groups in their areas.

The YGG has also successfully linked with other organisations aimed at early career geoscientists. In addition, a YGG committee representative sits on the International Committee for the Worldwide Young Earth Scientists Network. Through this network, the YGG is contributing to the organisation of next year's Young Geoscientist's Congress in Beijing, China.

At least three Regional Groups hope to set up a similar YGG model in their areas in 2009.

• To see individual Group reports - please click the links to the left.