Note from the general chairman
Geophysics is Happening!
SEG Annual Meeting and Convention • 9–14 November 2008 • Las Vegas, Nevada
“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” may be true for some things, but not for everything. On 9–14 November, “Geophysics is Happening” in Vegas, and we want to share what is happening with the world. It will be 25 years since SEG last held its Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. A lot has happened to our Society and our profession in those 25 years. In 1983, SEG had 16 000 members; today we have more than 30 000. In 1983, oil was about $28 a barrel and dropped to $10 a barrel in just a few months; today, it is closer to $120 a barrel. In 1983, 3D seismic was in its infancy; today it is routine, and we now regularly acquire 4D and multicomponent data. In 1983, terms such as coherency cube and wide-azimuth acquisition were not in our vocabulary. 
Las Vegas has also changed. What was a relatively small gambling and convention town has become one of the most visited resort destinations in the world. Where else can you walk from New York to Paris to Venice in less than 30 minutes? The Mandalay Bay Hotel will serve as our headquarters. This magnificent hotel, which has a South Pacific tropical theme, has great room accommodations, a 135 000-square-foot casino, offers fine dining in elegant restaurants, and has the only sand-covered beach in Las Vegas.
The Seventy-eighth SEG Annual Meeting and Convention tees off with the annual golf tournament. If you have never played a desert-type golf course, you need to get to Las Vegas early and play Primm Valley on Saturday morning, 8 November.
In honor of the Near-Surface Section’s Fifteenth Anniversary, on Monday morning, 10 November at the SEG Forum, a panel of well-known experts will discuss “Managing Our Groundwater Resources for the Future.” Unlike the usual oil and gas theme, this Forum will address one of the world’s most important natural resources and the contribution of near-surface geophysics to the management of groundwater.
The theme of this year’s International Showcase is “Asia/Pacific: An Ocean of Opportunity.” Several events and presentations focusing on the Asia/Pacific region are scheduled. Highlights of the program will be the presentation of technical papers dealing with international topics and a reception celebrating the opening of SEG’s office in Beijing, the first SEG office outside of the United States.
Evidence for and against global warming will be the subject matter of the Applied Science Program. Dr. Eric Barron, Director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, will be the guest speaker.
Always a centerpiece of the Convention is the Exhibit Hall. This year the Exhibit Hall is a sellout. More than 275 companies and organizations related to our profession will be present to show us all the geophysical services, tools, and processes available.
The Wednesday Night Affair is always a memorable venue. This year we will present “An Evening au Cirque.” Bringing your camera is a must for this event. Attendees will not only be treated to good food and beverages, they will be immersed in a mass of Las Vegas-type entertainment. One change from previous years is that the Wednesday Night Affair will begin and end earlier (5–7 p.m.) so that you will still have time to catch one of the many shows or restaurants that are available only in Las Vegas. Did you ever want to know the rules for gambling games but were too embarrassed to ask? One of the several programs in the Spouse Program will be a seminar on the Las Vegas games. Or did you ever want to meet a Las Vegas showgirl and find out what her life is like? The Spouse Program is taking advantage of the many unique things that the Las Vegas area has to offer. Many wonderful and unusual events both on and off the Strip will be available for the spouses in attendance.
Last but by no means the least, there are the Technical Sessions. With more than 1150 abstracts submitted for consideration, the Technical Committee had a difficult task selecting the oral papers and posters to be presented at the Convention. Because of this intense competition, the Technical Sessions will be the best ever. A total of 54 oral sessions, eight special sessions, and 167 posters, representing more than 700 papers, will be presented in four days. In addition, 13 workshops and two field trips are also offered. All delegate members will receive a DVD containing the expanded abstracts, providing more detail and diagrams than previous years.
The Steering Committee has worked diligently to give the SEG members a great Convention. You too can contribute. The Convention needs a lot of volunteers to help in various events, especially the International Showcase, Applied Science, and Technical Programs. If you are going to be at the Convention and would like to give some of your time to a worthy effort, please go to http://seg.org/meetings/volunteer and let us know.
Mark your calendar and register now for the Seventy-eighth Annual Meeting in Vegas. It will be a meeting and an experience you and your spouse will never forget. And remember, “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” is not always true; in November, “Geophysics is Happening!”
Ernie Siraki, SEG Las Vegas General Chairman
