International Exchange Lecturer Committee Guidelines

Purpose

The purpose of the Sub Committee is to identify, in accordance with the guidelines governing the lectureship, appropriate lecturer candidates and recommend them to the Council for final selection. The International Exchange Lecturer Sub Committee is described in Article X, Section 1 (f) of the Society’s Bylaws:

Article X. Honors

Section 1 (f). Traveling Lecturers

The Society shall annually sponsor traveling lectureships (Thayer Lindsley Visiting Lecturer and International Exchange Lecturer) for the purpose of bringing outstanding lecturers on economic geology to members of the Society and the wider profession, including students of economic geology. Lecturers shall be selected on the basis of widely recognized expertise in a field of economic geology, known competence as a public speaker, and the ability to represent the Society as an enthusiastic and effective ambassador. The Society Traveling Lecturer Sub Committee will present lecturer nominees to the Council annually. The availability of Traveling Lecturers and their lecture topics shall be widely advertised, and their travels integrated with program activities where possible. Each lecture itinerary shall be approved by the Chair and organized by Society headquarters staff.

The Thayer Lindsley Visiting Lecturer shall lecture primarily at colleges and universities having geologic programs related to economic geology. The honor of being selected shall be recognized by a suitably inscribed certificate.

International Exchange Lecturer

The International Exchange Lecturer shall lecture at sites selected on the basis of the greatest possible involvement of academic, industry, and government-based economic geologists. The honor shall be recognized by a suitably inscribed certificate.

Composition and Term

The International Exchange Lecturer Sub Committee consists of four members, including a Chair, with each to serve a three-year term. At least two of the Sub Committee members should be from outside of North America.

Functions

The Sub Committee annually solicits and receives nominations from its membership and the Society membership-at-large for candidates to serve as International Exchange Lecturers. Committee members who provide nominations must declare that they are free from any conflicts of interest. The Sub Committee reviews, evaluates and ranks the nominations, and reports its recommendations, in ranked order, to the Chair of the Traveling Lecturers Committee. The Council reviews these recommendations and makes the final selection.

Critical Dates/Schedules

The Sub Committee should announce a call for International Exchange Lecturer candidates in the April issue of the SEG Newsletter, with the request that recommendations be forwarded to the Chair of the Sub Committee. The call may be repeated in subsequent Newsletters and/or e-mail broadcasts. The recommendations of the Committee, together with supporting data, should reach the Executive Director no later than September 15 each year. The Executive Director will duplicate the supporting material and distribute it to the Council for action at its first meeting following the September 15 date. The Council will promptly select the International Exchange Lecturer(s) so that the respective lecture tours may be scheduled for the succeeding year. If a regularly scheduled Council meeting is not held in the first months following the September 15 date, the selection by the Council can take place by mail, e-mail, fax or telephone.

When the Lecturers are selected by the Council, the Lecturers and the Sub Committee Chair shall be notified by the Society President. The lecture tour itineraries and travel arrangements will be coordinated by Chair of the Traveling Lecturers Committee, in consultation with the Lecturers. Direct expenses for the Lecturers to complete their respective lecture tours will be reimbursed up to an amount set from time-to-time by the Council or the Executive Committee. The Executive Director will contact the Lecturers regarding expense reimbursement.

Relationship to the SEG Council, other SEG committees, and other organizations

The preceding Chair of the IEL Sub Committee should be contacted to request a copy of the previous report to the Council, plus the files for eligible candidates who were not nominated or selected. The Chair of the IEL Sub Committee should maintain contact with the Chairs of the Traveling Lecturers Committee, the Thayer Lindsley Visiting Lecturer Sub Committee, and the SEG Distinguished Lecturer Committee, to avoid duplication of Lecturer nominees and scheduling conflicts.

Specific functions of the Chair

The Chair is responsible for timely placing of announcements calling for International Exchange Lecturer candidates, and for ensuring that recommendations and supporting documentation are adequate and complete, and that the Committee’s report to the Council is forwarded to the Executive Director no later than the deadline date specified in these guidelines. The Chair also maintains contact with the Chairs of the other Society lecturer committees regarding the status of potential lecturer candidates.

Documentation to accompany International Exchange Lecturer nominations

The following outline lists the information needed by the Committee, and provides a uniform basis for consideration of all nominees.

1. Name
2. Date and place of birth
3. Education
4. Professional affiliations
5. Brief summary of accomplishments, honors, awards, publications, and/or achievements that demonstrate “widely recognized individual research in ore-deposit science and/or exploration methodology, and competence as a public speaker.”
6. Additional pertinent or related contributions either in science or applied exploration/mine geology; advisory or consultant activities, and recognition of professional stature in economic geology by others.
7. Comments regarding the candidate's ability and appeal as a speaker' bilingual ability may be an important consideration.