Summit for Students and Young Professionals in Latin America and Caribbean Region

The Latin America and Caribbean Region Student and Young Professional Chapter Leadership Summit, an initiative developed by geoscientist leaders representing the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Latin America and the Caribbean Region (AAPG-LACR), was held in Santa Marta, Colombia, on May 31-June 2, 2024.

Daniel Maya, a Ph.D. geology student working with the Conjugate Basins, Tectonics and Hydrocarbons project at the University of Houston, represented the Young Professionals of Ecuador and Latin and Caribbean students studying at U.S. universities. Four young professionals represented the members of AAPG’s International Regions (Canada, Europe, and the U.S.) and nine student leaders, represented individual countries in the LACR region of AAPG.

The summit featured various breakout sessions focused on leadership development, technical topics, and networking opportunities. Invited speakers and industry experts shared insights into the latest advancements in geoscience, and how these advances could be shared with the AAPG young professional and student groups.

One of the main topics in the presentations and panel discussions was the rapid growth of young professionals and students in the LACR and how AAPG leadership could help foster this growth – especially as young professional and student membership is waning in the U.S. and Canada. Ideas included improvements in the communications between the widely separated AAPG groups in the different countries, identifying more leaders who can help develop these groups, and seeking closer ties between the young professional and student chapters and the companies engaged in international hydrocarbon exploration and green energy.