American Institute of Professional Geologists
  California Section

News Items

Geologist Registration Act and Revised Assembly Bill AB 1284 (01/20/08)

Assembly Bill 1284

CCGO Letter of Support for Bill 1284

The California Section of  AIPG presented a career-related workshop titled “Unintended Career Paths for Geoscientists.  The annual meeting and fund-raising event was held on the historic Riverboat Delta King in Old Town, Sacramento on September 13, 2007.   A series of experienced geologists discussed their career paths, how they faced career challenges and evolved new skills.  Most of the speakers mentioned the value of mentoring and taking risks.  The meeting was set up as a workshop, with the distinguished panelists speaking for about 15 minutes each.  The participants in the audience included AIPG members as well as a few professors and students.

Before dinner, the current AIPG National President, Kel Buchanan, described mining geology and working with the legal system.  He also spoke about the business of being a geologist.  David Sadoff, a former environmental consultant, turned environmental insurance expert in San Francisco, California described some of his more interesting cases where his skills as a geologist were needed to understand his client’s environmental challenges.  Earl Hagström was a former oil geologist and during the downturn in the mid 1990s, went to law school.  Now Earl is a prominent environmental attorney in San Francisco, California, where he uses the knowledge gained from his two degrees in geology and over 10 years of experience as a geologist in his law practice.

One of the busiest environmental experts in the northern California, Tom Johnson is a Vice President for a large environmental consulting firm in Emeryville, California.  He spoke about how he joined a small consulting company, helping to build it into a large, nation-wide firm.  John Parrish is the California State Geologist with years of consulting and public service experience and he spoke to the crowd about his career and the changes and unexpected turns.  Bill Siok is a long-term geologist and Executive Director of AIPG in Westminster, Colorado.  Roy Schlemon, a former professor and consultant restated the theme about the importance of mentoring after describing his career in geology.

After dinner, the keynote speaker was Sam Blakeslee, a distinguished member of the California Assembly from the San Luis Obispo district.  He also has a Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of California at Berkeley.  Having worked with Exxon in strategic positions in the 1990s, he obtained a MBA.  Later after running a family-owned financial services business, he ran successfully for the California Assembly.  During his keynote address, he gave an unvarnished view at the issues associated with long-term planning and resource management.   The speech was balanced and noted the needs for fuel as well as environmental issues. 

As part of the evening, The California Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists awarded Sam Blakeslee with the AIPG California Section Earth Science and Environmental Award for 2007.  The award was given for public service advocating strong earth science and environmental policies.  Most recently, he was an author of a variety of environmental laws that the governor has signed.

Sponsors of the event included RSI Drilling, Enviro-Tech, Kiff Analytical, Levine Fricke and inVentures Technologies. 

-Jim Jacobs, President, California Section, AIPG

TOPIC

The workshop will focus on mapping out a career, facing the changes, constantly evolving with new skills, training, and the value of mentoring.

GOAL
To develop a lessons learned and recommendations from the workshop, as well as develop new ideas to enhance geologist’s careers, in good times and bad.   All of the experts listed below have changed and evolved, as industry and the economic situations have dictated. 

KEYNOTE Speaker: AssemblymAN Sam Blakeslee, Ph.D.

Dr. Blakeslee is a distinguished member of the California Assembly (R- San Luis Obispo) who also has a Ph.D. in geophysics.  The California Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists will award him with the AIPG California Section Earth Science and Environmental Award for 2007.  The award is for public service advocating strong earth science and environmental policies.  Most recently, he was a co-author of environmental legislation AB 1925 regarding carbon sequestration which the Governor signed last year.  He will be discussing the legislative process, his career and his perspective on a variety of resource and environmental issues.

EXPERT PANELISTS (Before Dinner)

 Kel Buchanan- mining geologist and successful businessman in Reno, Nevada.  Kel is currently the President of AIPG (National).

David Sadoff- former environmental consultant, turned environmental insurance expert in San Francisco, California.

Earl Hagström- former oil geologist, now a prominent environmental attorney in San Francisco, California.

Tom Johnson - environmental consultant and expert witness in Emeryville, California.

John Parrish – California State Geologist with years of consulting and public service experience.

Bill Siok- long term geologist and for many years the Executive Director of AIPG in Westminster, Colorado. 

How can geologists get better training along the way while still in college or at their first job, how can geologists find and keep mentors, what sort of organizations are out there, what can professional organizations, such as AIPG, do to strongly and positively influence the career of a geologist?  Bill and Kel can speak to the new ideas AIPG has developed such as the voluntary training programs to keep and update skills.  What are the companies looking for in candidates? 

SUMMARY OF activities

4:00 – 4:30 Registration
4:30 - 6:30 Career mini-presentation (10-15 minutes per presenter)
6:30- 7:30  Dinner:  Each presenter to sit at different table to encourage discussions
7:30- 8:30  Presentation of Earth Science Award to Assemblyman Blakeslee & key note address
8:30 – 9:00 Questions and Answers

WORKSHOP PRICE:  $95/each for members (or spouses) of AIPG, or members of organizations who are either co-sponsors or are members of the California Council of Geoscience Organizations (GRAC, NCGS, AEG, etc.).  The price of admission includes dinner and workshop; Students: ½ price.  $125/person for non-members;  The Riverboat Delta King will offer discounted rooms to participants (http://www.deltaking.com; Delta King Tel: 916-444-5464).  For rooms- please sign up by August 22, 2007 with the Delta King directly.

SIGNUP BY AUGUST 29, 2007 for $95/person price. Walk-ins will be charged $125/person.  Please email Jim Jacobs at jimjacobs@ebsinfo.com or fax (415-381-5816 your name, phone number and email address.  Meal choices: (1) Roasted chicken breast with a champagne-mushroom sauce or (2) Wild mushroom pasta with goat cheese and roasted pine nuts.  No host/cash bar.  Valet parking is available.  2 public garages (I Street and Second Street – near California State Railroad Museum) and Tower Bridge Garage (corner of Front and Neasham Streets). 

OPPORTUNITY TO BE A SUPPORTER:

Companies or organizations who want to be supporters can have a booth, 2 entry tickets, an announcement at the meeting and 2 minutes at the podium for $495.  Please help the AIPG California Section get the word out about the event.  Donations accepted.

Jim Jacobs, P.G., C.H.G., C.P.G.
President, California Section AIPG                                              
Environmental Bio-Systems, Inc.     
jimjacobs@ebsinfo.com;  www.ebsinfo.com;
707 View Point Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Tel: 415-381-5195;  Fax: 415-381-5816

 
    Paul Enriquez, Tierney R. Burke, Dave Sadoff           Paul Enriquez, Aradhana Sinha, Dave Sadoff     

2007 CALIFORNIA SECTION CCGO/AIPG
CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR AWARDS

By Jim Jacobs

For the past 7 years, the California Section of AIPG has judged the State Science Fair awards at California Science Center, which is located within Exposition Park adjacent to the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles.  The judging was held on May 22, 2007.

On behalf of the California Council of Geoscience Organizations (CCGO), AIPG California Section Vice President David Sadoff presented Tierney R. Burke, with the CCGO/AIPG Senior Division award.  The title of her presentation was Shear Wave Velocity Determined by Refraction Microtremor Surveys in the Oxnard Plain to Assess Earthquake Risk.  Ms. Burke evaluated the variation of geologic materials near the Earth’s surface and determined that these materials can have a significant effect on ground motions from earthquakes. Shear-wave velocity (Vs) was evaluated as an appropriate measure of rock or soil conditions for ground motion calculations because it directly affects ground motion amplification.  The refraction microtremor (ReMi) method was used in this study to determine shear-wave velocity to evaluate ground motion hazard in the Oxnard Plain

Refraction microtremor (ReMi) ambient noise recordings made on 140-m-long lines of standard refraction equipment were used to determine 30 meter (100 ft) average shear wave velocities and one-dimensional shear wave profiles down to depths of 100 meters. SeisOptReMi software allowed wavefield transformation data processing.  ReMi processing involved: 1) velocity spectral analysis, 2) Rayleigh phase-velocity dispersion picking, 3) shearwave velocity modeling. Measurements were compared with UBC/IBC site classifications and downhole measurements by USGS. A shear wave velocity contour map of the site area was prepared to analyze area variation.

Forty three field test measurements in this study produced shear-wave velocities between 180 and 360 m/sec which classified in the Uniform Building Code (UBC/IBC) class D group.  Refraction microtremor method surveys throughout the Oxnard Plain showed shear velocity decrease as one moves in a southwestward direction away from the mountains. A higher velocity zone was identified along the course of the Santa Clara River, and a lower velocity zone along the slow-moving Calleguas Creek on the eastern side of Camarillo.

According to Ms. Burke, the dense population and active tectonics of southern California necessitate extensive seismic hazard evaluations that include precise earthquake location determinations, path, and site effect studies. Seismic refraction method is well suited for general site investigations for soil dynamics and earthquake engineering purposes. ReMi surveys performed in this study provided a more extensive assessment of shear-wave velocities in the Oxnard Plain than previously reported. Noninvasive refraction microtremor surveys of shear-wave velocities in the Oxnard Plain compared with downhole velocity measurements, and surface map predictions of ground motion hazard.

Ms. Burke will be attending the University of California at Davis this fall.

For the Junior Division award at the California State Science Fair, Ms. Aradhana Sinha evaluated the adsorption of pollutants in different soil types.  She was awarded the CCGO/AIPG Junior Division Award.  The purpose of this experiment was to determine which type of soil was the most absorbant of which kind of pollutants. The information gained from this experiment might be of interest to farmers, garderers and botanists who deal with soil pollution problems, to better understand the effects of absorbancy with different porosities of soil and with different viscosities of pollutants.  In her experiment, she placed 200g of each type of soil and 100ml of each type of pollutant in separate cups.  She waited until the soil was completely saturated and then she put the saturated soil on a filter for 15 minutes.   She measured the residual pollutant by measuring the amount that was not absorbed.    What Ms. Sinha discovered was that sand, the most porous soil, had absorbed the greatest amount of pollutants.  Silt clay loam, the second most porous soil, had absorbed the second greatest amount of pollutants. Clay, the least porous soil, had absorbed the least amount of pollutant. Sand absorbed gasoline (the least viscous pollutant in the experiment) the most.  It absorbed olive oil (the second least viscous pollutant in the experiment) the second most.  Clay absorbed oil soap (the most viscous pollutant in the experiment) the least. Silt clay loam and clay absorbed oil soap the most, followed by olive oil and gasoline.  Ms. Sinha’s conclusion was that the most porous soil absorbs the greatest amount of pollutants. In addition, she determined that the more viscous pollutants get absorbed more than less viscous pollutants.  Clay absorbed oil soap the most, followed by olive oil and gasoline.  She noted that using volatile fluids like gasoline evaporates and hence may create erroneous results.  She also noted that an increase in the absorption time could have improved results. 

The California Section of AIPG supports these awards, which consist of $250 for each winner.  Both Dave Sadoff and Paul Enriquez are geologists who work at AIG Consultants and they donated their day to judge the Science Fair exhibits.   Encouraging the youngest generation in earth science has been important goal of  this awards program.

David Sadoff,

I am honored that the American Institute of Professional Geologists selected my project to receive an award at the 2007 California State Science Fair. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with professional scientists.

Thank you for the monetary award and recognition. It will be helpful as I further my education at UC Davis. Please extend my thanks to the entire organization.

Sincerely,

Tierney Burke

AIPG CALIFORNIA SECTION NEWS:

Workshop price: 

$95/each for members of AIPG, or members of organizations who are either co-sponsors or are members of the California Council of Geoscience Organizations (GRAC, NCGS, AEG, etc.).  The price of admission includes dinner; Students: ½ price. 

In order to get the most leverage for our volunteer time and funds, AIPG California Section continues to be active in the Council of Geoscience Organizations (CCGO). The CCGO allows us to pool our resources with other geology organizations to affect change in Sacramento, monitor legislation, make proposals to the Board of Geologists and Geophysicists, as well as other activities.

STATE SCIENCE FAIR JUDGING

This year, Vice President David Sadoff will be a judge at the Annual California State Science Fair in Long Beach, California, giving out the AIPG California Section prizes. David has represented AIPG and CCGO at this event for the past several years, and he has done a great job!

CALIFORNIA SECTION MEETING

Later in the year, we hope to have a California Section AIPG meeting which is still in the planning stages. If you have suggestions on topics, locations or speakers, please let me know. The meeting will likely be after June.

EARTH WEEK AND GLOBAL WARMING

It is one thing to speak about general policies, carbon dioxide emissions and global warming on a national or international basis. Most of the real consequences of global warming will be felt on a local to state level, as the flooding inundates a specific low area or the lack of snowpack effects the state. As geologists, we have an historic professional and business opportunity and a duty to serve our areas by providing our geologic expertise to mitigation strategies for the results of global warming. These are not abstract worries. Just a few of the real issues that need to be addressed will require expertise from our profession. Flood maps and flow patterns must be developed to help construct levees to minimize the damage of the rising tides. Increased severity of storms and reduced Sierra snowpack will change our water availability and possible historic water useage. The rising tides may mix sea waters and fresh waters further inland. Major changes in ecosystems and wildlife can be expected as well as the destruction of former fresh water aquifers and habitats, as sea water intrusion becomes more common along the coast and connected inland water ways. The sewer plants and other major infrastructure improvements are planned using a 50 to 100 year cycle, and geologists need to be involved with the planning, as these improvements and mitigations will be developed over the next few years. Geologists have the skills and understanding that changes in climate, changes in sea level have occurred for billions of years and we must be able to adapt to these changes with a rationale approach.

For earth week October, 2007, CCGO will be sponsoring a climate change seminar to raise money for CCGO as well as discuss some of the tangible issues that geologists will have to contend with as sea level increases, snow pack decreases and storm surges become higher.

AIPG NATIONAL MEETING 2010

I am the Chairman for the AIPG National Meeting in 2010. The California Section will host the event, and the venue has been selected to be San Francisco. We are still considering themes, field trips, key note speakers, and other aspects to be able to have a truly memorable AIPG National Meeting in 2010. I encourage you to send me your email so we can get a list of volunteers to help out!

It is a pleasure to serve the California Section of AIPG. Please email me with your ideas or questions.

Regards,

Jim Jacobs, P.G., C.H.G.
2007 California Section AIPG President

Other Officers:
David Sadoff, Vice President
Rick Gundry, Newsletter Editor
Karel Detterman, Treasurer/Secretary

Geologist Licensing

California (Practice/Specialties) - (916) 263-2113
CA Board for Geologists and Geophysicists
E-mail: geology@dca.ca.gov
http://www.dca.ca.gov/geology

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Related Links

California Section Officers

Newsletter Editor
Richard R. Gundry
Inland Geologic
P. O. Box 8944
Moreno Valley, CA 92552-8944
Work: (951) 836-1628
Fax: (951) 924-6756
rick.gundry@verizon.net
 

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03/01/05