The case for a greenfields renaissance Feature - Geological Society ...

SocietyUpdate
Business Report
Most members renewed over the holiday season using
the online system, but unfortunately there were a
few members who encountered issues with Firefox
and Safari browsers. My apologies for your inconvenience —
technology is great when it works, but frustrating when it
doesn’t. Other members chose to take advantage of the direct
debit system, which is great if you want to ‘set and forget’. If
you want to know more about the direct debit system, please
email info@gsa.org.au or phone (02) 9290 2194.
With the slowdown in the economy and impact on the
resources sector, some members may reconsider attending
professional development events. But it is during tougher times
that networking and professional development can bring
rewards, knowledge and contacts. For example, The Macquarie
Arc 2009 Conference (13–21 April 2009) is nearly upon us and
there is still time to plan your attendance at the Society for
Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits — SGA 2009 (17–20
August 2009) or consider a short course like EGRU’s financial
management for professions, in the minerals sector short
courses (now reduced by 50%). If you want the links to these
development opportunities or to know about other events near
you, visit the GSA website: http://gsa.org.au/ and follow the
links > Events > Calendar. You’ll see many events organised
locally and a listing of relevant international conferences, too.
This issue of TAG includes an insert from the Centre for
Groundwater Studies. This brochure is very informative for
those working in groundwater — if that isn’t you, but you know
someone who is, please pass the brochure on or put it in your
tearoom. Inside this issue you will find the feature: ‘Tsunami
hazard in Australia and steps being taken to mitigate it’, from
Barry Drummond, Trevor Dhu and Jane Sexton, Geoscience
Australia; plus a very timely article from Jon Hronsky, BJ
Suchomel and JF Welborn ‘The case for a greenfields renaissance’.
We also include Part 2 of Jim Ross’ ‘A rallying cry for
geoscience’. Held over from the December issue was the full
listing of the relevant ARC Linkages and Discovery Grants.
Also, in this issue of TAG you can read an interview with John
Jackson (aka the Rock Doctor) and the importance of
geotourism, as well an update about the GSA merger, a report
from the AIG/GSA merger committee, GSA membership
demographics and the usual columns, news, book reviews and
letters to the Editor.
TAG doesn’t often review exhibitions, but in this instance
we had to include Ken McQueen’s review of the Charles Darwin
exhibition at the National Museum, Canberra. You would
have to have your eyes shut not to
know 2009 sees the commemoration
and celebration of one of the world’s
greatest scientific thinkers; Charles Darwin. Two hundred years
after his birth (born on 14 February 1809) and 150 years after
publishing On the origin of species by means of natural
selection, his scientific thinking influenced and transformed
scientific theory and our relationships to each other and the
planet we live on including: the origins of life, palaeontology,
genetics (well before DNA sequencing was developed), ecology,
avian biodiversity, medicine, human evolution and psychology.
Many people don’t realise (apart from geologists) that Charles
Darwin was firstly a geologist and the geology of Australia
stimulated his early thinking. The Australian leg of Darwin’s
journey on the HMS Beagle took him from Sydney over the Blue
Mountains and onto Bathurst, as well as to Hobart, King
George’s Sound and Albany. This year, there are an enormous
number of activities commemorating his life and work
globally, from exhibitions, public lectures, dinners, workshops,
conferences, specially designed holiday packages (you can go
to “Taz-mania” and “nurture the naturalist in you”). For those
with more time (and money) you can join the Stanford Alumni
for the ‘Voyage of the Beagle’ by private jet, on an around-theworld
expedition taking in the Galapagos Islands, Uruguay,
Argentina, New Zealand, Tasmania, the Cape Verde Islands and
finishing at London’s Maritime Museum.
Even if you don’t participate in one of the above activities,
or haven’t organised a Darwin event, it isn’t too late to do
something local. This is a once-in-a-century opportunity to
create education or outreach activities to show the link back to
Earth Sciences, to promote the Earth Sciences to the general
public, to tickle young enquiring minds or to go into the field
with your colleagues and friends.
You can organise a Darwin activity this year — it doesn’t
have to be as grand as the HMS Beagle project or Sir David
Attenborough’s ‘Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life’ program —
and the business office can support your efforts by promoting
your event, acting as the banker or providing other administrative
assistance. We are here to assist you; lets commemorate
and celebrate Charles Darwin.
SUE FLETCHER
Executive Director
TAG March 2009 | 5