I have been involved for 39 years with the CO section of SME, having served in nearly all positions with this Section's board, including the Section Chair, but my longest serving role has been as part of the Education or "outreach" committee. Unfortunately, nothing has changed in all the years I've been involved with SME, as well as WIM (36 years) when it comes to doing outreach.
Those of us that are graduate engineers, geologists, metallurgists and all other folks entrenched within this broad-based "industry" have spent time doing various important work-related jobs and participated in quality memberships to organizations such as SME. But frankly, most of us (and I speak from the nearly 40 years of frustration in trying to raise the awareness/importance of doing outreach) haven't spent any serious time looking to the future of this varied industry, yet we support "diversity and inclusion" - though I have no idea what exactly that means.
What I can tell you is that if we don't collectively get off our duffs and think about the future of our industry and TALK about what we do in the industry (to folks OUTSIDE our industry) AND the products/benefits that are derived by our "industry" that benefit all of us (specifically everyday products), who exactly are the the diversified and included we are seeking to join or have enough interest to join or replace us in the future??
So, my plea to each of you is that you respond to Dick's (Beach) request and do some "outreach" - in other words to diversify and include the majority of people in this world NOT already in the "industry" - and when the opportunity comes up for you spend a couple of hours of your time talking about what you do, what your company does, correcting myths/misconceptions, or just talking to kids & adults about their phone parts and toothpaste materials - that you MAKE the time to do it. Trust me, your child's teacher would love a guest speaker on careers or your perspective/value about "science" related to your job.
As a newly retired regulator of the mining industry for over 40 years - something I rarely shared outside of work - I have taken countless hours (vacation, or if allowed work) time to enlighten non-industry people (including school & scouts) about what we as an industry do, and what we gain from the expertise we have collectively to make the products we all take for granted. Dick, I and a very FEW others of this organization that have done the outreach work on behalf of SME, WIM, CMAEF, and other local mining organizations WE NEED HELP. We need you to step up to be the next generation to spread the real works about and the benefits of the mining industry - especially if you are seriously looking to diversify and include! Respectfully, kjass
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Karen Jass
Retired Mining Engineer
USDOI-OSMRE
Colorado, USA
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