I note the resolution at last year’s AGM that there be a second General Meeting during the year, preferably in April 2013. Such a meeting proved difficult to arrange given other commitments, but Geoconferences has continued to function via email and the work of the Subcommittees.
At the 2011-12 Annual General Meeting the Strategic Planning Committee, established at the 2011-12 AGM and chaired by Jon Hronsky, reported on its review of the role of Geoconferences Inc. over the next ten years. The discussion that followed led to the realisation that the commitment of Geoconferences should lie primarily with the West Australian geoscientific community. It was decided to establish a Strategic Planning and Implementation Subcommittee, to be chaired by Sandi Occhipinti, with an emphasis on injecting youth into the Subcommittee’s membership. The Subcommittee has been very active during 2012-13 and reported back to the Executive/Strategic Planning Committee at a meeting in March with a range of excellent proposals to be followed up and implemented in 2013-14.
The other major initiative for 2012-13 was the establishment of the Media and Marketing Subcommittee led by Su Ho, which has undertaken a complete upgrade of Geoconferences website and of our branding. The new website went live in June 2013 and Su and all of those associated with it are to be congratulated. It is now up to the Committee and the Members of Geoconferences to add content and make full use of the website.
Geoconferences continued its Platinum Sponsorship of Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA) in 2012-13. This program is highly successful, and supports the teaching of earth science in WA schools. I thoroughly endorse our continuing support at this level.
An event of note during the year was the death of Alec Trendall on 4 April 2013. Alec was involved in the establishment of the International Archean Symposium in 1970, and the organisation of subsequent IAS. Alec was invited to give the opening address to 5ias. Alec was an important figure in the study of the Precambrian in WA, particularly of the Hamersley Group banded iron-formations, and in the establishment of a joint GSWA-WAIT geochronology program with John de Laeter in 1968.
Ian Tyler
Chairman, Geoconferences