Laurie Ross - 2010
CSEG Meritorious Service Award Recipient Citation for Laurie Ross
by Oliver Kuhn
Laurie Ross is a most deserving recipient of the CSEG Meritorious Service Award. Among the many hundreds of dedicated volunteers, she stands out as a person who has repeatedly put in time and effort on behalf of the society and achieved success, implemented positive changes, and just generally got things done. This award is fitting recognition for the outstanding efforts she has put in helping the CSEG deliver value to its members.
Laurie graduated from University of Saskatchewan Engineering Geophysics in 1985. An interesting aspect of her academic career is that she initially entered university in the Home Economics (Housing and Design) program as a path to an architecture program. However, after her first year she took a summer job driving the big trucks at a uranium mine. Over the course of the summer she made friends with some of the geologists, and they piqued her interest in the earth sciences; that fall she switched over to Engineering Geophysics.
Upon graduation in 1985 Laurie joined Geo-X Systems as a processor, and she has been there ever since. She has volunteered almost continuously with the CSEG since then, in many different capacities. She has done this because of her can do attitude, and eagerness to pitch in for the common good. It is telling that when asked for a list of all her accomplishments, she has no such list – she volunteers because she enjoys the camaraderie and rewards of a job well done, and then she moves on to the next opportunity.
She started her CSEG work in the 1990's on Annual Convention Committees. Laurie loves organizing parties and events. Some of the highlights for her were the many Icebreakers she helped put together, including the so-called "pit parties". Some of her tougher and less glamorous work was done for sponsorship committees, especially during downturns.
In 1999/2000 Laurie served on the CSEG Executive in what was then known as the Secretary role. She did an outstanding job as General Chair for the 2004 Annual Convention. The 2004 committee had such a great time that most of them returned to put on the 2005 convention, again under Laurie's leadership, and they did an even better job! Laurie remembers those committees for the enjoyment and fun of working with great people.
Two innovations introduced during these conventions under Laurie's watch have stood the test of time. The YGF (Young Geophysicist Forum – now JGF), started as a convention feature, and is now a successful standalone event. The charity component was also added. Laurie felt that the convention could be a successful venue to give something back to the community, so she started the silent auction. She was right, as since then the Annual Convention has raised almost $100,000 towards charity. She has remained involved with this charity aspect of each year's convention.
Recently Laurie has represented the CSEG on the Joint Annual Convention Committee (JACC), and is the current chair. This body acts as the steering committee for future conventions, and maintains the operating relationship with the CSPG. This work is time consuming, not glamorous, requires skill, diplomacy and leadership, and is critical to the CSEG's operations.
The Annual Convention is one of the CSEG's centrepieces, and is a vital aspect of the society's financial viability. Laurie Ross continues to be a key person in the running of the Annual Convention, and this, along with the many other ways she contributes to the CSEG, makes her a most worthy recipient of the CSEG Meritorious Service Award.
