Committees & Volunteers
The Foundation's volunteer committees are essential to our mission — dedicated geoscience professionals giving their time and expertise to advance our programs worldwide.
Our Committees
Volunteer-led committees guide the Foundation's programs, scholarship selection, and strategic direction.
The AAPG Foundation depends on the dedication and expertise of volunteer committee members drawn from across the geoscience community. These volunteers serve on committees that oversee grant and scholarship selection, awards, fundraising, outreach, and more.
Their service ensures that Foundation programs remain relevant, rigorous, and impactful — and that donor contributions are directed where they can make the greatest difference.
If you are interested in volunteering with the AAPG Foundation, please contact us to learn about current opportunities.
Foundation Committees
Each committee brings focused expertise to a specific area of the Foundation's mission.
Distinguished Lecture Committee
Selects lecturers and instructors speaking on important and timely geoscientific topics that provide knowledge transfer among petroleum geology professionals, affiliated societies, and academia. The committee consists of approximately 25 members.
To reach these goals, the committee identifies topics that support science-based business decisions; showcases state-of-the-art technology and concepts utilized in the oil and gas industry to academia; works internationally to develop a regional program of distinguished lectures; and collaborates with other professional societies such as SPE, SPWLA, SEG, and EAGE on inter-society distinguished lecturers.
Education Awards Committee
Formerly known as the Grants-in-Aid Committee, this Association Committee has been responsible for scoring Grants-in-Aid applications since 1989. Members dedicate significant time and talent evaluating applications received over the five-month-long application window. The Foundation manages this program.
The Academic Liaison subcommittee annually selects the Foundation's Professorial Award recipient.
L. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Grant Program Selection Committee
Responsible for scoring applications for L. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Grants. Members assess applications from undergraduate geoscience students and student-led geoscience associations — including student chapters, associations, and clubs — and award top-scoring recipients with $500 grants.
The grants are intended to support the educational endeavors of undergraduate geoscience students and their student-led organizations.
Military Veterans Scholarship Program Committee
Recruits and assesses student veterans applying for scholarships to attend educational geoscience programs at the undergraduate level. The program aims to promote education and career opportunities for veterans, aid in the transition of veterans to educational and civilian technical professions, and advance and promote geoscience programs in higher education institutions.
Teacher of the Year (TOTY) Selection Committee
Oversees the Teacher of the Year Award, established in 1996 and presented annually to a K-12 teacher within the United States who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of geoscience education.
The committee selects a recipient from a finalist list comprised of one candidate from each AAPG section. The final TOTY winner receives a $6,000 award presented at the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition (ACE).