More Than a Game

In two weeks from now, the 2012 SEG Challenge Bowl Finals will feature the possibly best list of competitors in the seven-year history of the event. Colorado School of Mines, University of Oklahoma, University of Calgary, Imperial College ... just to name some of them ... and then there is Freie Universität Berlin. The pure fact that we will be among these prestigious universities and compete against them makes me get goosebumps every single time I think of it.

For me, these finals are more than a game for some personal award, but a golden opportunity to represent my community. I have worked for that moment every single day in the last years. I clearly remember my international beginnings at the 80th SEG Annual Meeting in Denver and how people looked puzzled when I told them that I was studying geological sciences in Berlin. Having to explain that we actually have quite good geoscience programs and excellent graduates here in the German capital city is not the best way to gain confidence as an undergraduate student. However, I rose above. Since these days, a lot has changed about how the international geoscience community sees Berlin and what we do here. And I take pride that I could substantially contribute to this development because, despite all criticism, it makes me know that I've chosen the right path.

It's an overwhelming feeling to know that this long path will have its grand finale and happy ending next April here in Berlin, but having the last but one highlight at the SEG Annual Meeting in Las Vegas is pretty awesome, too. Is there any better place in the world to philosophize about the odds than Las Vegas? Probably not, but frankly speaking, I don't care whether it's 1:9, 1:11, 1:100 or whatsoever. Just like the header says, never let yourself be second best. That is not just a catchy line, but really means a lot to me. People have told me that we should simply enjoy the finals without any specific expectations. They might think that way because nobody likes to underachieve high expectations. However, I will never share that way of thinking. Nobody remembers second places. Against all odds, we're certainly not going to go to Las Vegas to just be background actors with an excellent view from the stage ... come hell or high water.

Quo vadis?

An honorary office is a fulfilling duty, but not always a grateful business. From time to time people ask me what meaningful things I'm going to do for my career after I will have finished "all that honorary stuff" on which I spent so much time. Whenever I'm getting asked that kind of question with exactly this undertone, I simply smile and give them a meaningless answer to honor the so-called meaningless things on which I spent so much time. These situations make me realize how way too many people give away their happiness for things they don't even want to do but consider as expected by society. 

Every morning on my way to university, I see thousands of grumpy people in a rush to get from their homes to their workplaces as fast as possible. I can literally see people's discomfort on their faces because they desperately want to avoid any contact with all the other stressed out people out there. Sometimes I even find myself doing the same thing - earplugs in, music on, browsing on my smartphone just to escape all that negative energy. And it's pretty much the same, maybe even worse, with reversed directions on my way back home in the evening. Day in, day out. Whenever I see people grumble about a packed train or race down an escalator just to arrive in time wherever they think they have to, I ask myself whether that's what we're supposed to live for or whether that's what we have to go through in order to get what we want in life. Either way, I don't think so. And still these attitudes and excessive demands seem to be mass phenomena. Or should we rather call them plagues?

Even in geoscientific spheres, both industry and academia, most people are in a crazy rush to reach the next degree, publish the next paper or get the next salary increase. Some unwritten laws dictate them that this is the only way to become good scientists. Many say that's what any career is all about - deliver, outperform, succeed. And from a businessman point of view, I have to admit that they're actually right, but while all these accomplishments help you to climb the career ladder, they absolutely don't tell anything about how you grow as a human being and about how happy you are with your life. I've met professors and highly experienced industry professionals who had the social skills of a hillbilly. And I've met undergraduates who were totally happy and knew much more about the meaning of life and happiness than any young professional or postdoc.

It almost feels like someone is pushing fast-forward on that hustle all around me so that I can enjoy my progress in slow motion. It's strange because the me who started this blog four years ago wouldn't have appreciated this attitude at all, but this is how time changes people. I'm happy to be at the right place in the right time and I take pride in saying that, especially because of SGS, the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region surely is one of the hot spots for young geoscientists these days. Support is great and gets better with every day, but I'd wish that the geoscience community and its decision makers saw the full potential of what we are doing as a group of students for our generation, for future generations and for the geosciences as a whole. I know that some - including me - would like to continue this work as professionals, but in regard to the status quo, unfortunately this reality is more than a lifetime away. Frankly speaking, appreciation and admiration don't feed families. As long as the majority rates this work as an exemplary add-on to meaningful normal business and not as an absolute must for social and scientific prosperity, it will always be a sacrificial mission to which only a few young people will agree to commit their spare time or even their careers and lives.

For quite some time I've been considering my future and in what ways I could contribute the most to what and whom I believe in. More and more, I can't deny that after everything we will have accomplished by next summer, for me there won't be anything left here in Berlin I could motivate myself for to keep my working temperature. Especially after an event like the IGSC 2013, it will be literally impossible for me to go back from 24/7 to normal under the circum-stances we have created here. Therefore, I've decided to leave Germany with the end of my final contract as a teaching fellow at Freie Universität Berlin on 31 August 2013. Our planet is a big office for a young geoscientist and businessman with a special background like mine and there are a couple of great people I'd like to work with. So time will reveal the right spot for me to do some meaningful or not so meaningful things ...

3rd International Geosciences Student Conference

Since my review on the 2nd International Geosciences Student Conference in Kraków, Poland, received so much interest and great feedback, I decided to follow general request and write a short report on this year's follow-up event in Belgrade, Serbia. Just like I did last year, I don't intend to give a 100% politically correct and all-encompassing review on the conference, but rather share personal impressions with you.

The 3rd International Geosciences Student Conference took place May 29-31 and was co-organized by students from the Society of Geoscientists and Environmental Engineers at the Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Union-Nikola Tesla University and the University of Belgrade Geophysical Society Student Section at the Faculty of Mining and Geology. The student event coordinator and host Marko Vanic welcomed 244 students, who presented 94 papers and participated in various short courses, workshops, lectures, field trips, social events, and conversations with exhibitors from industry and academia.

 SGS doing sightseeing with Saint Sava Cathedral in the background

 illuminated Serbian Parliament building at night

I hadn't been to Serbia before but because of the IGSC my first visit to Belgrade felt like coming home. Do you know that magical feeling when you arrive at a foreign place and you instantly feel at home? That feeling becomes especially amazing if it's not even connected to a meaningful place, but just an idea. The idea of an international geosciences conference organized by students for students is such an idea and it doesn't take more than one IGSC to get infected by that feeling of community and comradeship. So, since July 2011 I've been really looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new people at the next IGSC in Belgrade. My expectations were high and as life always writes its very own stories, some expectations turned into disappointment while others were highly exceeded.

 IGSC 2012 Opening Ceremony

 IGSC 2012 Icebreaker

I would like to dedicate some words on how impressed I was by the size of the different student groups coming to Belgrade. We had big student groups from Russia and Ukraine, some 25 students from Bucharest, 35 students from Poland and last but not least my fellow students from Berlin. While we considered sending 10 SGS members to the 2nd IGSC to be a huge success, we almost doubled our numbers with 18 SGS members who attended the 3rd IGSC. Unfortunately, there was a lack of students from Western and Northern Europe because this time the SEG/ExxonMobil Student Education Program was for students from Serbia and former Soviet Union countries only. However, students residing in Europe will have the great opportunity to attend "their" SEP in Istanbul, Turkey, in September. Despite the fact that the organizers were faced with many obstacles in the preparational process, the 3rd IGSC turned out to be a great event in terms of international networking and motivating experience for all student attendees, society representatives and industry professionals.

SGS group photo

SGS member Jonas Küster during his presentation on his new 3D gravity model of Nördlinger Ries

On a more personal note, I would like to comment on the SEG Challenge Bowl. While I honestly appreciated the general outcome of the SEG European Challenge Bowl 2011 in Kraków, I wasn't content with my performance. I knew we could do better and even though our decision to run for a second try this year met with quite some criticism, I also knew that we actually would do better this year. And this year in Belgrade we finally delivered as I had promised. It's not up to me to rate our performance, but competitors and other attendees asked me about the formula to become so dominant. It's dedication. We're dedicated to what we do. We didn't become champions during the actual event in Belgrade, but in the countless hours of preparation at home. 

 SEG Challenge Bowl final round against Gumru and Rahman from Azerbaijan

 SEG Challenge Bowl Champions in Belgrade:
Laura and Aurelian 

At the SEG Challenge Bowl Finals 2010 in Denver, I promised my Brazilian fellow SLS participant Fabio Magrani that one day I would be sitting on that stage competing for the world championship. It took me two years, but I kept my word and on Monday, November 5, we will have our gameday at the 82nd SEG Annual Meeting. People who know me are aware that I'm definitely not going to Las Vegas and compete at the biggest stage of them all to just sit on a chair and become a background actor. I've come this far against all odds. So fuck the odds! If you look at my blog header, you will find a line that reads: Never let yourself be second best. I live that.

Next year, April 25-28, we will meet for the 4th International Geosciences Student Conference here in Berlin, Germany. Then feeling at home at the IGSC will meet with the feeling of actually being at home. Words can't express how enthusiastic I am about that idea because I guarantee that we will raise the bar to new heights.

 me presenting first IGSC 2013 information at this year's closing ceremony

Never Ever Give Up

Do you need some motivation? Then watch this truly touching and inspiring video. To say it with Arthur: "Never underestimate what you can acccomplish if you believe in yourself." It's always wonderful to come across stories like Arthur's, which show that nothing is impossible to the one who believes that he or she can overcome any limitation, aby obstacle, any injustice, any setback in life.

24/7/365

Long time no see! Unfortunately, my posting frequency has become signifi-cantly lower again. I haven't lost my desire to share some of my impressions and thoughts on geoscience and career paths, but my professional life has become a different one during the last few months and I have to leave it at some essential blog entries from time to time. However, I'm still controversial and will continue to use my new responsibilities to stand up and speak up whenever I see the necessity to do so. I've chosen this moment for a new blog entry to reflect on the things that have changed during the last twelve months and to dare a look ahead on what things will be like in one year from now.

Taking a look back, it appears to me like it's been ages since last April. So many things have changed dramatically for the better for the Student Geoscientific Society, our members and our community. In addition to our longtime successful SEG Student Chapter, SGS established the first AAPG and EAGE Student Chapters in Germany and is just about to reactivate an SPE Student Chapter and become an incorporated society under German law. While most of the rather old (and sadly also some young) geoscientists seem to still live in times that are long gone, we are one of the very first to pave the way for the future of the geosciences by promoting the collaboration of students and experienced scientists of all geoscientific disciplines ranging from geophysics and geology through meteorology to geography.

Further, the last year also has turned some things to good account for me on a personal level. It hasn't been unnoticed that I've changed significantly. I wanted to be mentally and physically prepared for any challenge that already has or still might come up. On a professional level, I appreciate how I regularly go beyond most people's unfortunately limited imagination by working for/at/on/with what they considered to be impossible. Once you have expelled "impossible" from your vocabulary and even from your thoughts, nothing is impossible and that is what I'm living up to. And I can tell you: This ain't no miracle and certainly no freaking luck. Success does not arise accidentally. Success is the reward for holding on to your beliefs even in times of unacknowledged sacrifice and despair. It's the reward for voluntarily working your heart out 24/7/365 for next to nothing while being laughed at by opportunists, who give a damn about their fellow people. I could say that I just don't care but as a matter of fact I'm deeply sorry for these people because they probably will end up in the money but will have lost their heart and soul long before. It's sad to see that often the best and most capable people decide to waste their strength and leadership skills on their very own benefit and not to spend them on liberating the potential of their communities. And it's because of this selfish attitude that our society is slowly torn apart.

These days, it's kinda funny to see how we have desperately fought for desired changes over and over again without any major reaction, but then almost instantly things get dead simple if the right people believe in you and start to support you. That's a wonderful thing for the greater good of SGS and I can't deny that I feel some kind of delayed gratification now that the very same laughing opportunists are miraculously popping up like spring flowers and jumping on the bandwagon. However, in these very successful times, more than ever, I appreciate company of the very few loyal souls who believed in our potential when nobody else did and not just when it became fashionable to be in awe of SGS and adorn in our plumes.

In exactly one year from now, last weekend of April 2013, the next generation of leading geoscientists and the very best geoscientists and industry professionals of our time will meet in Berlin for the International Geosciences Student Conference 2013. And once again it's 24/7/365 because you do not simply leave responsibility and expectations behind at the office if you truly love what you do. The outstanding work of our organizing committee and the great support of our local, national and international partners and sponsors will provide the setting for the 4th IGSC to become not only another student conference, but an event that will inspire change and stay in the minds and hearts of all attendees. For the time being, only a few people know about what is about to appear on the horizon, but SGS will provide the first information about the IGSC 2013 in a couple of weeks from now at this year's IGSC (May 29-31) in Belgrade, Serbia, and at the 74th EAGE Conference & Exhibition (June 4-7) in Copenhagen, Denmark. I'm looking forward to meeting you there!