Eric Battig
As we prepare to draw the curtains on 2023, I am amazed at how quickly this year has passed by. Outside of the sphere of the ASEG, the year has been marred by conflict and ensuing humanitarian crises abroad, and domestically we went to our first referendum in almost 25 years. My thoughts are with any of our readers who have had their lives, or those of loved ones, impacted by these events.
Reflecting on 2023 through the lens of the ASEG, there have been a number of significant events through the year, and we have made material progress against a number of strategic priorities that we established at the beginning of the year.
We will be moving Preview to self-production in 2024. There has been acknowledgement from both ASEG and Taylor & Francis (T&F) that, as T&F is a commercial publisher specialising in scientific journals, their workflows are not suited to a magazine such as Preview. This general mismatch between the publisher and magazine style has unfortunately often resulted in many frustrations for ASEG volunteers.
Self-production will mean that our volunteers are in control, with potential for improved income through advertising, and the possibility of more dynamic content as well as content delivery via phone apps etc. The experience gained by the ASEG in self-production will also serve us well as we continue to look at how to improve the impact of our publications. This includes ongoing concerted efforts to improve the appeal of our flagship scientific publication, Exploration Geophysics (EG), as we seek to prioritise the value and relevance of EG for ASEG Members.
We set out to revitalise our publications at the start of the year, and our Publications Committee are working tirelessly and are performing an amazing collaborative effort with T&F to bring this to fruition. However, to truly make this a sustainable success story will require extra help, especially in the advertising space. Please reach out to Steve Hearn ([email protected]) or Lisa Worrall ([email protected]) if you are keen to help.
A further milestone for our publications and web team has been the self-publication of Extended Abstracts for the 2021 and 2023 AEGC and AEM 2023. It’s a moment our authors and readers have no doubt been waiting for, and the process has provided useful knowledge to our team, including in the practices of digital workflow and formal DOI allocation.
I have just come back from MAG 23, which once again delivered an engaging programme with invited talks spanning regional targeting, case studies and petrophysics. We had over 20% participation from students and early career professionals, and the organising committee did a tremendous job in bringing these groups together. A special mention should go to Richard Lilley and NexUS in that regard. The opportunity MAG 23 offered for engagement between students, early career professionals and the more experienced professionals in the room was refreshing. While this event can’t single-handedly turn the tide of the decline in geophysical professionals, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of optimism about the sustainability of our industry. I hope that MAG 23 will serve as a model for future ASEG events.
Staying on the Society’s aims of growing geophysical capabilities and content delivery, I am pleased to report that significant progress is being made on preparations for DISCOVER 2024. We have engaged our PCO and are finalising dates and venue selection. You will be sent further information, including key dates (abstract submissions etc.) before the end of the year.
It is likely that as you read this column you will have already taken advantage of our Early Bird offer to renew your membership for 2024. If you have, thank you for your ongoing support. Renewals are still very much open, and we also encourage prospective members to take the plunge and apply for ASEG Membership today – the membership forms are available online and are reprinted at the end of every issue of Preview. I am confident that, together, 2024 will be even bigger than 2023.
Finally, with the end of the year only days away, I hope you are all about to settle into a well-earned break with family and friends. I know I am.
As always, please reach out to me with any thoughts, comments or feedback.
Eric Battig
ASEG President