Looking for ways to Serve AGS in 2024-2025?

Dear AGS members,

I look forward to serving as Austin Geological Society (AGS) President in the upcoming year.  Elections for new officers is May 6, 2024.  We are seeking nominations for the following leadership team positions:

• President-Elect

• Treasurer

• Vice-President

Other Opportunities to serve include:

• Membership Committee Chair

The responsibilities of each officer is described below:

The duties of the President-Elect shall be to participate in Executive Board meetings. The President-Elect will serve as understudy to the President, and will assume the office of the President the following year. The President-Elect shall also serve as Chairperson of the Election Committee.

The duties of the Vice-President shall be to assume the office of president when a vacancy for any cause occurs and assume the duties of the President during the absence or disability of the President. In addition, the Vice-President shall serve as Chairperson of the Meetings & Social Events Committee and the Technical Program Committee, and coordinate the technical presentation schedule.  The Vice-President is also responsible for making arrangements for a meeting place for Regular Meetings of the Society as well as logistics for those meetings (meeting room set up, access and close-down, audio/visual equipment, and refreshments, in consultation with the President).

The duties of the Treasurer shall be to receive and disburse all funds as authorized by the Society, to keep accurate accounts thereof, and to submit annually a report of the Treasurer's records for auditing. The Treasurer shall work with the Secretary and Membership Chair to maintain and utilize the digital membership roster. The Treasurer shall be present or delegate a substitute to be present at each Regular Meeting to collect monies and membership applications. The Treasurer, jointly with the President and Secretary, shall sign all written contracts and other obligations of the Society, and shall assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President, Vice-President, and Secretary.

The Membership Committee Chair shall encourage membership, assist the Newsletter Chairperson, work with the Secretary and Treasurer to maintain and utilize the digital membership roster.

If interested please contact Harold Rogers:  harold.rogers@beg.utexas.edu. Thank you for your consideration!

Kind Regards,

Harold Rogers
AGS President-Elect

In memoriam: Pete Rose

Dear AGS members,

Dr. Peter R. (“Pete”) Rose passed away Monday, December 19, 2022, while in hospice care at the Christopher House in Austin.  His daughters were with him when he passed. 

Pete’s passing is a significant loss, but his positive influence and contributions to the geoscience community carry forward in the contributions of those who knew him, worked with him, and learned from him.    

Dr. Rose’s professional accomplishments were abundant and wide-ranging.   He particularly valued field observations as a teaching tool, and he led many field trips to the Texas Hill Country, which were well attended and appreciated by AGS members. 

A link to his obituary is provided here: https://www.statesman.com/obituaries/paco0384227

AGS Survey Results and Updated Bylaws

Proposed Changes to AGS Bylaws 

A redline-strikeout version showing proposed changes to the AGS bylaws may be viewed here.  The Executive Board will lead a discussion of these items with members during our next regular meeting. 

AGS Membership Survey (79 Respondents)

Q1

I prefer to:

a)      Attend meetings remotely through Zoom - 24

b)      Attend meetings in person - 21

c)      Have the flexibility to attend in person or remotely - 34

Q2

I would like to:

a)      Become more involved with AGS as a volunteer - 20

b)      Become more involved with AGS as an officer - 1

c)      Become more involved with AGS as a committee chair - 3

d)      Limit my involvement to attending meetings and paying dues - 50

Q3

Are you willing to pay more than $25 annually for AGS membership?

a)      Yes - 62

b)      No - 14

Q4

How do you benefit from AGS? 

a)      Annual ethics presentation - 55

b)      Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for PG or PE - 57

c)      Field trips - 44

d)      General sharing of geological information - 60

e)      Professional networking - 36

f)      Opportunities to present research papers - 8

g)      None of the above - 0

Q5

Are you also a member of:

a)      AAPG - 10

b)      GSA - 14

c)      NGWA - 10

d)      AEG - 9

e)      AGU - 6

f)      None of the above - 41

Q6

Are you interested in serving as an AAPG Delegate? 

a)      Yes - 1

b)      No - 73

Q7

Are you interested in helping AGS host a future GCAGS conference?

a)      Yes - 23

b)      No - 48

Q8

Are you a registered Professional Geologist or GIT? 

a)      Yes - 59

b)      No - 15

Q9

Industry (industries) applicable to your profession and/or education

a)     Oil and gas - 19

b)     Mining - 10

c)      Energy - 10

d)     Water Supply - 27

e)      Environmental - 51

f)      Government - 29

g)      Education - 8

AGS Officers AY 2023-24 - Vote of Acclamation

The following AGS Members will serve as the offices of President-Elect and Vice President for Administrative Year 2023-2024. 

Please use the link below to support their willingness to serve AGS with a vote of acclamation.  
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/38BH6FW

President-Elect: Harold Rogers 

Harold Rogers is the GIS team lead for the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery Group (STARR) at the Bureau of Economic Geology.  Along with helping STARR with various GIS projects, Harold uses his skills in subsurface modeling, well analysis, animation, and visualization to assist a variety of Bureau research groups. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Geospatial Information Science and Technology from North Carolina State University.  Harold has been working in the field of GIS for 14 years and the Bureau of Economic Geology for over 10 years. Harold is currently AGS Vice President. 

Vice-President: Kevin Pasternak

Kevin Pasternak is a Principal Geoscientist at Atlas Technical where he works primarily on environmental remediation projects involving impacted soil and groundwater. Kevin is a licensed Professional Geoscientist in Texas and has been working in environmental consulting for 24 years. He has professional experience working on a broad range of projects including site assessment, aquifer characterization, chemical fate and transport, remedial design, and active remediation system operation at sites located across the U.S. Prior to working at Atlas Kevin was a Hydrogeologist with AECOM and URS in Austin and with Tetra Tech in Denver. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

AGS Officers AY 2022-23 - Vote of Acclamation

The following AGS Members will serve as the offices of President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer for Administrative Year 2022-2023 

Please use this link to support their willingness to serve AGS with a vote of acclamation.  
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZHWMGLZ 

President-Elect: Cary L. Betz 

Cary ended a 30-year career with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2019 where he served for 12 years as the Designated Chairman of the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee.  He appreciated the opportunity to work on issues associated with the Edwards Aquifer, the USGS led National Ground Water Monitoring Network, and a wide array of groundwater contamination issues.  He has maintained his PG registration and has been enjoying retirement by following the activities of his four active grandchildren, being a member of the National Groundwater Association, and rebuilding/restoring things mechanical, including antique tractors and classic Jeep vehicles.  

Vice President: Harold Rogers 

 Harold Rogers is the GIS team lead for the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery Group (STARR) at the Bureau of Economic Geology.  Along with helping STARR with various GIS projects, Harold uses his skills in subsurface modeling, well analysis, animation, and visualization to assist a variety of Bureau research groups. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television-Film and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Geospatial Information Science and Technology from North Carolina State University.  Harold has been working in the field of GIS for 14 years and the Bureau of Economic Geology for over 10 years.  This will be Harold’s second year to serve as AGS Vice President. 

Secretary: Christopher Heiligenstein 

 Chris was originally a field and lab archeologist with PBS&J/Atkins in Austin after graduating from U.T. in 2005 with a Bachelor’s in Anthropology & Russian, Eastern European Studies.  Surveying energy developments for wind energy, mining and O&G sites across Texas served as Chris’s introduction to the diverse career opportunities the discipline of geology offered.  After earning his degree in General Geology at U.T. Austin in 2013, Chris continued work as a geo-archeologist until joining the RRC in 2015.  Chris served his first 2 years at the RRC with the Environmental Permitting Department prior to joining the Site Remediation program in 2017.  As of December 2020, he also serves as the RRC representative on the Joint Texas Groundwater Protection Committee. 

Treasurer: Christopher Moore 

Chris is a Project Manager in the Petroleum Storage Tank and Dry Cleaner Remediation Program. Chris joined the TCEQ in November 2016. From 2012-2016 Chris was a Technical Coordinator in the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Operator Cleanup Program and later served as the Coordinator of the RRC Voluntary Cleanup and Brownfields Response Programs. Prior to state service Chris spent 13 years in private environmental and geotechnical consulting. Mr. Moore holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Texas A&M University. He is a licensed Professional Geoscientist in Texas.