July 2006 ISSUE
CCPG Founding President
Receives
Inaugural Award
 |
 |
 |
THE MAN AND HIS AWARD Top photo, Dr. Gordon Williams, P.Geol., in Turner Valley in 1998; above middle, the award he received; above bottom, the presentation by CCPG President Brenda Wright, P.Geol., during a Council dinner in Calgary. |
BY GEORGE LEE
The PEGG
Without APEGGA, there would be no Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists. It’s a mantra oft repeated by Dr. Gordon Williams, P.Geol., one of the founders of an organization dedicated to building, safeguarding and promoting professional geoscience across Canada.
At a June 21 dinner in Calgary, however, it was time for the credit to be dished in Dr. Williams’ direction. In fact that old Williams chestnut went under some modification from APEGGA Executive Director & Registrar Neil Windsor, P.Eng.
“Without Gordon Williams, there would be no CCPG,” Mr. Windsor said. “Thank you for a job well done.”
Dr. Williams accepted the first-ever CCPG Canadian Professional Geoscientist Award, presented by new CCPG President Brenda Wright, P.Geol. Ms. Wright, who considers Dr. Williams her mentor, said: “Gordon has contributed a huge amount of his time to CCPG. He provided leadership and above all he ensured continuity during those critical early years.
“In fact Gordon was so involved with so much at CCPG for so long, he
is its corporate memory.”
Said Dr. Williams: “It is with a mixture of humility and pride that I accept
this award. Humility because of the colleagues with whom I have worked who have
contributed mightily to whatever I have accomplished … pride because of
what we have accomplished together.”
Dr. Williams was a key member of a pan-Canadian group that saw the formation of the CCPG in 1996. He served three terms as its president – from 1997 to 1999 as its founding president, and then again in 2003-2004.
He has seen the organization through to the hiring of its first staff member, CEO Oliver Bonham, P.Geo. On March 15 in Vancouver, the council officially opened a staffed national office.
The Alberta regulatory side of the professions has also been a prominent part of his contribution. His efforts were recognized in 1997 with the L.C. Charlesworth Professional Service Award, one of the APEGGA Summit Awards.
An APEGGA member since 1979 and APEGGA’s nominee for the new award, Dr. Williams sat on Council for two terms, including two stints as second vice-president. He served 10 years on the Board of Examiners, six on the Practice Review board, four on the Discipline Committee.
There’s much more.
Dr. Williams was part of a task force on the future role of APEGGA. He was on a task force of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers that centred on geoscientists. And, as past-president of the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, he was on a liaison committee of that group, APEGGA and the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He’s also served as president of the Edmonton Geological Society.
Dr. Williams received his PhD from the University of Alberta in 1960 – the first such degree granted in geology by the university. The next year, he began teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in geology at the University of Alberta and served as chair of the Department of Geology. Then in 1990, he was appointed dean of science and technology at Mount Royal College.
Dr. Williams has taught and conducted research at the University of Queensland in Australia, and has always staunchly supported continuing education. He helped found the National Conference on Earth Sciene, which he chaired for 18 years.
His career hasn’t been entirely within academia. Dr. Williams has worked as a district geologist for Suncor and also operated his own consulting practice, which he resumed in the mid-1990s.
His national presence comes with from his CCPG work. In fact the man he calls his “colleague and co-conspirator,” Hugh Miller, P.Geo., is from St. John’s, N.L.
“Hugh and I became involved in efforts to enhance the professional status of geoscientists in Canada by establishing what has become the CCPG and the majority of its associations,” said Dr. Williams. “Others who were involved literally came from every province and territory, both geoscientists and engineers – too many to acknowledge individually, but you know who you are and you have my appreciation for what you did.”
The citation on Dr. Williams’ award reads: “Presented to Gordon
Williams, P.Geol., in recognition of outstanding volunteerism and dedicated leadership
during the formative years of CCPG.”
The award was established to recognize outstanding contributions to the development
and practice of professional geoscience. It goes to someone who advances public
recognition of the practice of professional geoscience in Canada.
Although nominations will be considered annually, the award will not necessarily be presented each year.
Dr. Williams singled out APEGGA for high praise. “Without APEGGA, its foresight and support – philosophical, practical and financial – nothing would have happened and, most definitely, I would not be standing here tonight. Our Association gave me, as a member of Council and as a vice-president, a platform and opportunities to serve APEGGA members and the wider Canadian geoscience community.”
The CCPG has come a long way, he said. “It started with two associations.
Today, all provinces and territories except two provide professional recognition
for geoscientists. And it’s all overseen by CCPG – a vibrant, progressive
national council responsible for national coordination and guidance.
“These developments represent a coming of age of geoscience as a recognized
profession in Canada.”
MORE INFO
Visit www.ccpg.ca