Aramco geologist leads world’s top petroleum geosciences society

Gretchen Gillis, geologist at Aramco Americas, assumes the presidency of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG).  She has been a member of AAPG since 1990 and is the fourth woman to hold the leadership position.  AAPG is currently one of the world's largest geological societies with approximately 25,000 members in 129 countries, and was founded more than 100 years ago.

Gillis has served the geosciences community and industry with distinction – with a focus on mentoring students and young professionals, advancing women and others underrepresented in the field; and supporting the association's publications and scientific mission.
 
Through the years, she has served on and chaired numerous AAPG committees, including those responsible for the AAPG Annual Conference and Exhibition Technical Program; AAPG Publications (serving as the AAPG Elected Editor); AAPG Women's Network; and AAPG Public Outreach.
 
Gillis is a Trustee Associate of the AAPG Foundation, which promotes the geosciences by funding initiatives that support the preservation of data and career enhancement for geoscientists. She is a member of the leadership team that proposed the creation of the International Meeting for Applied Geoscience & Energy (IMAGE) with the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and also a member of the AAPG steering committee exploring the formation of a new organization with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
 
AAPG honored Gillis with the AAPG Distinguished Service Award in 2011 and the AAPG Honorary Member Award in 2018.  Gillis holds a master's of arts in Geological Sciences from The University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor's of arts in Geology from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.
 
“It is an honor and privilege to serve as AAPG president,” said Gillis.  “I want to foster the preeminence of AAPG in energy geoscience to serve our profession and society while maintaining the highest ethical standards of professional practice.  These core principles are as important today as they were when AAPG was formed in 1917.”