President's Page

Abstract

Growing up, 90 was always a big deal — going 90 miles an hour, hitting 90°F outside, getting 90/100 on a test. And now, we celebrate the 90th year of SEG's founding. Happy birthday, SEG! From those days in 1930, when 30 individuals first formed a geophysical association of fellow explorers, entrepreneurs, and scientists, to our Society today with some 12,000 members in 120 countries, it's been almost a century of progress. Traveling back 90 years, we would find a world population of some 2 billion (versus almost 8 billion today), U.S. life expectancy of 60 years (now pushing 80), and oil production of less than 4 million barrels per day compared to current levels of about 90 million. Interestingly, then as now, there was an oil glut and volatile stock market. However, on 18 April 1930 in contrast to our plethora of current events, the BBC announced that, “there is no news today” and played piano music! Oh, for those days … aside from the bit about a 60-year life expectancy.