AIPG WOULD HAVE TO BE INVENTED, IF IT DIDN'T ALREADY EXIST Professional credentials, recognized by the public and in law, exist in many disciplines (engineering, medicine, law) where the public welfare is served by the establishment of these qualifications. The public welfare is not served when there is no definition or established qualification to be a professional geologist. Contrary to public opinion, geologists are not just a group of eccentrics whose expertise is only called upon to determine why dinosaurs died. Geologists serve vital societal needs, such as finding and evaluating mineral resources, protecting and remediating surface and groundwater resources, identifying geologic hazards, protecting natural habitats, and teaching others to do the same.
The purpose of AIPG (American Institute of Professional Geologists) is to strengthen the geological sciences as a profession, to establish professional qualifications for prospective members, to certify those qualifications to the public, and to monitor the ethical conduct of its membership. In plain English, AIPG exists to allow the geological sciences to obtain recognition as a separate and vital profession in our society.
AIPG has grown from a small charter enrollment at its founding in 1963 to a sustained membership of about 5,000 active members today. Membership is open to all qualified professionals involved in the practice of geology, including industry, academia and government. The membership base is diverse, with representation in oil & gas, metallic & industrial minerals exploration, and all phases of environmental and engineering geology.
On the NATIONAL level, AIPG functions as a watchdog, monitoring existing and proposed legislation in all fifty of the United States, in Europe and in South America, and examining a variety of public-policy issues that impact geologists: the slow but steady growth of State-by-State registration; the legislative initiatives to amend or overturn the General Mining Law of 1872; the reduction in funding for State geologic surveys; the effects of environmental regulation on specific disciplines; the credibility of geologists as expert witnesses; and the crisis in liability insurance for self-employed professionals. In addition, AIPG promotes education in geology and earth sciences, provides professional representation before governmental agencies, and provides workable definitions of "geologist" and "geology" to State legislatures contemplating regulation of the profession.
On a LOCAL level, the members of each AIPG section are individually active in promoting the interests of geology, as geology is practiced in that community; in becoming involved with local legislative initiatives that involve the interplay of land use, natural resources, and environmental/engineering hazards; and in influencing the direction that registration proposals take.
Do yourself, and your profession, a favor. Take a moment now to fill out the bottom of this sheet, and send it to Vic Ridgley at vicr@vicr.desertlinc.com. YOU can add your support to an organization that works for YOU.
YES, I'd like to apply for Membership in AIPG. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Name ------------------------------------------------------------------- Company -------------------------------------------------------------------- Address -------------------------------------------------------------------- Work Phone FAX Home Phone -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail address -------------------------------------------------------------------- We will see that an application for membership is mailed to you. Thank you.