THE SCIENCE-SERVICE MISSION RE-EVALUATED: INTERSECTIONS OF BASIC AND APPLIED GEOSCIENCE IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION (Invited Presentation)

A picture of the near-future geoscience workforce (inc. academia) starts to come into focus via recent society surveys and the 2021-2022 experience of college departments and industry: people are not turning to geosciences as a career objective. On the one hand, given the cyclical nature and historically small geoscience workforce relative to other fields, it is dangerous to say that “this time it’s different”. However, things are likely different for one acute reason: the effort to build a lower CO₂-intensive economy. The path to “net-zero” corresponds with realignments in global supply chains, ongoing challenges in the oil and gas industry, and social perceptions (e.g., ‘A Slap in the Face’, New York Times, Jan. 3, 2021). Moreover, geoscientists continue to have a heartfelt but arguably vague perception of how they might actually participate in the energy transition (e.g., GSA survey results for ‘Earth to Economy’, White et al., 2021). There are, however, specific applied-science areas that will require basic-science geological expertise. Carbon capture and storage and hydrogen fuel (and strategic natural gas) storage are one area. Engineers, regulators, and business ventures view “geology” as the most important technical step in “geostorage” given the need for storage capacity, a robust seal, geophysical monitoring of hazards such as induced seismicity, and reliable models of subsurface flow and geochemical behaviors. Another area of growth is the geologic mapping, geochemistry, geophysics, and hydrogeology that are needed to assess the distribution of lithium, rare-earth elements, and other critical/strategic elements/minerals needed in the energy transition. Federal agencies incentivize work in these areas at funding levels comparable, if not greater than, all other geoscience federal funding levels. In turn, state geological surveys and similar organizations – some within and some outside universities – strive to implement the federal-agency plans in a way that equitably engages local/regional interests, including Native American nations. A re-evaluation of the science-service mission is underway in real time, aligning basic and applied geosciences, and requires enthusiastic new participants if it is to succeed.