LEADERSHIP AND THRIVING GEOSCIENCE DEPARTMENTS: OBSERVATIONS FROM A GLOBAL GEOSCIENCE EMPLOYER

Many Geoscience departments are facing significant threats to their staffing and funding levels, and this is being exacerbated by the current economic recession and growing competition for public funding. Given the growing societal need for earth science expertise to deal with environmental issues, disaster preparedness, and the provision of water, mineral and energy resources, this trend is of great concern.

Over a span of thirty years as a petroleum geoscientist, the author has lived through one major and two minor “down” energy price cycles, and has witnessed the importance of leadership in surviving and even thriving through the turmoil of change. In his current position, he also sees a strong correlation between overall departmental health and the provision of visionary departmental leadership. Such leaders proactively formulate and communicate a shared departmental vision with key stakeholders. These include faculty, university administrators, alumni, key external contacts (government, industry, professional societies), and students. This vision is unique to each department. It takes into account key departmental strengths, the needs of the university and its community, and key external trends. Critically, it provides the leader a fulcrum by which individual faculty interests can be aligned with departmental interests.

Building such a vision and then acting on it takes time. One important consequence is that effective departmental leaders often sacrifice their own research interests for the sake of their peers. Another consequence is that you cannot wait until the dean tells you that your department needs to be changed. Change in an academic department is not easy, but it is vastly preferable to change according to your own vision and agenda rather than that of someone else. Given current trends toward reducing costs, it seems inevitable that further significant changes in academia will occur. Investing in departmental leadership has never been more important.