Austin Geological Society Annual Ethics Training for 2017

Presented by Will Boettner, P.G. (AGS President)

All licensed geoscientists in the State of Texas are required to complete annual ethics training as part of their Continuing Professional Development. Given that all or most of the practicing geoscientists in Texas are honorable and dedicated at their profession, the question arises of what exactly are ethics in geoscience practice, what purpose do they truly serve and why are they required.

Making ethical decisions about geoscience serves to protect the public we serve, society in general, and protects the good name of the geoscience profession. Working with a Code of Conduct standardizes expectations and actions of practicing geoscientists in a manner that is dependable and reliable for society at large. Approaches to making ethical decisions can be mapped out and followed to provide reproducible results. In the end, ethical practice and a professional code of conduct serve the interests of society, science and our professional standing.

Note this meeting was rescheduled from August 28, 2017 due to Hurricane Harvey. Our thanks to Will for stepping in to provide an Ethics talk and get the year started.