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News corner:
Compiled by Isabel Fernandez Fuentes and Anita Stein*
34 th IGC
34 th International Geological Congress (IGC)
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre,
Queensland, Australia
5 - 10 August, 2012
Unearthing Our Past And Future – Resourcing Tomorrow
The 34th IGC is supported by the member societies of the Australian Geoscience Council
The 34 th International Geological Congress
(34thIGC) took place in Brisbane,
Australia, from 5 to 10 August 2012 with
pre- and post-conference field trips. EFG
was represented during this event by its
President Ruth Allington, UK.
The Congress attracted a total of 6012
delegates from 112 countries. According
to Neil Williams, the President of the 34 th
IGC, this was a very good outcome for the
organizers, given the long distances most
of the participants had to travel to get to
Brisbane and the economic crisis currently
faced by many countries. The Congress was
also well attended by students from around
the world.
As at previous IGC’s, an impressive
Technical Programme had been organized
which included 3232 oral presentations
covering a wide range of today’s geoscience
issues, as well as 5 Plenary Sessions
with dynamic speakers, 24 Professional
Development Workshops, 29 multipleday
field trips and 283 spaces occupied
by exhibitors in the GeoExpo hall which
completed the programme. The Brisbane
Convention Center provided an impressive
venue for the presenters and exhibitors.
Neil Williams further states that the 34 th
IGC differed from former Congresses by
its majority representation from new world
countries, its focus on the private sector
which is today the biggest employer for
geologists and the strong interest expressed
by politicians resulting in the organization
of the first IGC Ministerial Forum.
* EFG Office, info.efg@eurogeologists.eu
Courtesy of Brisbane Marketing
The European Federation of Geologists
participated in the 34 th IGC through a
symposium on “Strengthening communication
between fundamental and applied
geosciences and between geoscientists and
public” (Theme 1 of the Technical Programme,
Geoscience for Society, Symposium
6). The objective of this symposium
was to discuss the benefits to be gained
from a better understanding between geological
communities. These include: incorporation
of more relevant and informed
education in applied geology and professional
skills at university level; an improvement
of industry competitiveness through
more rapid conversion of research findings
to applied technologies and methodologies;
clear pathways and assessment criteria for
geoscience graduates seeking to attain Professional
Qualifications and their employers
and mentors; and design of research
projects and allocation of research funding
based on a better appreciation of societal
needs. The symposium was organised in
collaboration with a number of other professional
organizations with which EFG
has developed important working relationship:
American Geological Institute
(AGI), American Institute of Professional
Geologists (AIPG), Australian Institute of
Geoscientists (AIG), Geoscientists Canada
and International Union of Geological Sciences
(IUGS).
According to EFG President Ruth Allington,
the symposium was extremely well
supported and attended by a core group
of more than 50 persons. Delegates were
impressed by the quality of the papers and
the smooth organisation.
The symposium was subdivided into
two sessions: Framing the Issue: Academia
- Industry Linkages, some examples.
Speakers:
• Peter Bobrowsky, IUGS SG;
• Oliver Bonham, CEO Geoscientists
Canada;
• Ross Large, AIG;
• Tim Baker, Geological Survey Of
South Australia;
• Wayne D Pennington, AGI President
and, Cross Communication in Geoscience
and Education in Geosciences.
Speakers:
• Barbara Murphy, AIPG President;
• Luca Demicheli, SG EuroGeoSurvey;
• Suzette Kimball, USA-USGS, United
States Geological Survey, Deputy
Director;
• William J. Siok, AIPG Executive
Director;
• Roberto Greco, Olympiad Earth Sciences;
• Ruth Allington, EFG President.
The chair of the first session, Oliver
Bonham, CEO of Geoscientists Canada -
the organization of the provincial and territorial
professional associations that regulate
geoscience practice in Canada – confirms
that he was “very happy to have collaborated
with colleagues at EFG, AIPG and
AIG to help organize and participate in this
special session at the 34 th IGC in Brisbane.
Geoscience is a truly global profession, and
with the public’s expectation of professionalism
in all that we do as scientists - wherever
in the world - IGC offers the perfect
venue to explore broad and challenging
worldwide issues facing our profession. The
special session on “Strengthening communication
between fundamental and applied
geosciences and between geoscientists and
public” was timely, topical and effective.”
Bonham further asserts that “as geoscientists
we all know the empirically bridge that
exists between the outcomes of primary
Earth science research and their application
in the day-to-day work of all practitioners,
but we seldom take time to reflect together
on how critical good two-way communication
across this key bridge really is. We also
needed, yet again, to continue to challenge
ourselves about how better to communicate
with the public about the vital services that
geoscientists provide to society every day.”
He finally commends “the effort made by
EFG to initiate and organize this symposium.
The range of talks that it attracted and
the discussion it provoked were rewarding
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