Annual Meeting makes great strides
for students

Jyoti Behura
Student Member

9 October 2007—On the flight from Denver to San Antonio, I was eagerly looking forward to attending the technical sessions and was excited about learning the new developments in geophysics. On my return flight after the meeting, however, I was more happy about the major strides made by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists in ensuring a brighter future for its members.

Fueled by a booming oil and gas industry, the current situation is already healthy with the number of members on the rise. Another refreshing positive development, as pointed out by Leon Thomsen in his 23 September Presidential Address, is the clearing of the backlog in publication of articles in Geophysics.

In planning for the future, the SEG has done a tremendous job at involving students through programs and activities like the Student Leadership Symposium and the Challenge Bowl.

Ensuring a bright future also encompasses ensuring energy security. The SEG Forum on unconventional energy sources was a clear indication that it is high time we think beyond conventional oil and gas.

The organizing committee for the meeting should be commended for its innovative effort towards increasing the exposure to posters. By placing posters adjacent to the rooms hosting oral presentations, the organizers were able to increase attendance at the poster sessions. That being said, there is, however, more room for development in organizing the technical sessions. The SEG could do a better job at screening expanded abstracts and matching oral presentations with the session topics appropriately.

Overall, the Annual Meeting in San Antonio went a long way towards assuring a promising future for its members and the industry.

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