Your gift to this campaign will make a direct impact in the advancement of geoscience research and education, creating pathways for the next generation.
At the very moment the world depends on geoscience to solve complex energy, environmental, and resource challenges, the field itself is under growing strain.
While the factors driving the decline are wide-ranging, the implications are clear: fewer students, fewer resources, and fewer pathways into the profession are weakening the pipeline of future geoscientists.
This moment matters for all of us. To understand the need for action, we must first understand what’s driving the decline.
Universities are facing sustained reductions in funding for geoscience programs, limiting their ability to support faculty, maintain facilities, and conduct meaningful research. As resources decline, so does the capacity to prepare the next generation of geoscientists.
Field experiences—once a defining part of geoscience education—are becoming harder to access due to rising costs and reduced institutional support. These hands-on opportunities are essential to developing real-world skills and confidence.
As visibility declines, fewer young people are exposed to geoscience as a viable and meaningful career path. This disconnect threatens the long-term vitality of the profession and its ability to address global challenges.
This is how we’re answering the call.
Through our 2026 Capital Campaign, the AAPG Foundation is making targeted investments across four strategic areas of priority, each designed to rebuild the pipeline of future geoscientists and ensure the discipline remains capable of meeting the challenges ahead.
To learn more about these strategic pillars and the specific programs being supported, please Download our Campaign Overview
The Campaign advances applied geoscience research through targeted grants to programs that are focusing on real-world energy and subsurface challenges.
Campaign funds support students at critical moments through scholarships, grants and hands-on learning opportunities, such as Field Camp experiences.
We’re expanding awareness and access to geoscience through public education, support of scouting, and donations to notable geological institutions.
Campaign funds are supporting emerging technologies, and bringing together leaders, ideas and new approaches to shape the future of the field.
Will you join us?
Your tax-deductible donation will make an immediate impact in these critical areas.
Donate NowWhether you prefer to make a one-time donation or a major gift that spans a longer term, we can help you maximize your impact in the most practical, tax-advantageous manner. Here are just a few of the options.
Every geoscientist can point to a moment that shaped their path—a field experience, a mentor, an opportunity that changed everything.
We invited some of our supporters to share those moments, and how they’ve influenced their decision to support this vital Campaign.
I didn’t realize how deep my network was until the Appalachian shale gas revolution began. Small operators started selling assets and no longer needed a geologic consultant. I was able to pivot from shallow, tight gas sands to horizontal shale gas opportunities. The connections I built from AAPG conventions and committee service made that evolution possible.
Field camp transformed how I understood geology, bringing classroom concepts to life through direct observation and shared experience. That perspective is why I support the AAPG Foundation—to help more students access the same formative opportunity.
I became involved with the Foundation's AEGIS program because it provides direct support for graduate students. I know first-hand that we are adding potential professional geologists with each student we support.
In June 1971, I skipped graduation from Wittenberg and went to the Aleutian Islands as a field assistant. I was working as part of a multidiscipline team studying the history of the Bering Land Bridge. This turned out to be the first of many field seasons that I spent in AK working for Shell.
Serving AAPG membership over the years—from Society leadership to the Executive Committee, and now as a Trustee Associate—has been incredibly rewarding. However, the greatest joy comes from the lifelong friendships I've been fortunate to make with colleagues globally.
In the fall of my junior year in college, I signed up for my first geology class. After the first 3 lectures and a field trip around campus, I knew that was what I wanted to do and immediately changed my major.
I finally felt like a “junior” geologist at Field camp in 1995. I loved how all the pieces came together during a summer. It also taught me that geopals are forever, and the network of friends within this field are truly global and glorious.
Your tax-deductible donation helps ensure that the next generation of geoscientists is prepared to meet the challenges ahead.
Make a DonationOur giving team can help facilitate commitments of any type, including multi-year pledges, bequests, corporate donations, named opportunities and more.
Make A PledgeAre you a current or former geoscientist with a passion to give back? Consider becoming one of our Trustee Associate advisors.
Become a Trustee AssociateOur Campaign Overview presentation provides current information about this initiative, and how campaign contributions are deployed.
Download Campaign Overview
