Hi,

I may be a little bit slow on a rare sunny afternoon in Scotland, but can
you tell me how this site differs from the Geotectonics site as forum for
discussing / raising burning issues. Our structural community is small
enough without creating another Wee Free Church, - surely?

Sue's directory was indeed a huge personal commitment but like all such
efforts eventually fails because it only polls a minority of the target
community when it is voluntary, and even then only signs up the corporate
lifers, inveterate joiners and eternal optimists. I think I fell into the
last category but then never used the directory as it failed to pick up the
structural geologists outside the Euro-phone circuit, ie the guys I really
like to talk to.

Anyway, good luck, I'll sign up as the eternal optimist again, but to make
this work you have to offer either a big stick ...."join, or you'll never
work again..." or a big carrot.... " join, and you'll rap with all the
coolest, sexiest people on the planet".

Alan

-----Original Message-----
From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hermann Lebit
Sent: 02 April 2005 22:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Directory of Structural Geologists and Tectonists; TecTask calls
for enrollment

Dear All,

A task group on Structural Geology and Tectonics (TecTask), chaired by Cees
Passchier,  was recently established by the International Union of
Geological Sciences (IUGS) aimed at stimulating communication and
coordination within the international science community and to provide
information to the public (see objectives below).

A WEB-BASED DIRECTORY OF STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND TECTONICS PROFESSIONALS AND
STUDENTS

A primary effort is to follow up on the mission of the International
Association of Structural Geologist (IASTG), managed with great enthusiasm
by Sue Treagus for so many years. Thus we intend to establish a
comprehensive directory of professionals on TecTask's internet portal
(<http://www.tectask.org/>www.tectask.org) and we encourage all colleagues
and advanced graduate students to enroll (create a login). In order to
protect privacy the directory access is restricted to enrolled members and
will only be used for non-commercial, scientific purposes.
The directory will play a key role in the efforts to coordinate
communication and scientific cooperation among its world wide members.
Subscribed members will have assess to the web portal's secure domain which
is primarily dedicated to research cooperation, training, data mining and
science management allowing other members to search for potential
collaborators and help with specific problems.

WHY REGISTER?

Subscribed members will have the privilege of placing their own relevant
information and appropriate links at the web site and we encourage them to
submit individual web pages on significant topics.
We especially welcome subscribers who would like to play an active role in
strengthening scientific collaboration, training and education in Structural
Geology and Tectonics.
Members will receive 25% discount off the individual subscription price for
the Journal of Virtual Explorer and we are exploring options that will
provide members with easier and affordable access to resource such as
commercial archives and other media.

THE TECTASK WEB PORTAL

The Internet portal that hosts the directory will serve as the major
platform for professional and public education and represents the forum for
the group's major activities. The web site will provide a wide spectrum of
resources such as information on research programmes, funding organisations,
events, access to databases and teaching materials. The web portal's public
domain is predominately dedicated to information and education and providing
information on geodynamic processes for the public (e.g. mountain building,
exhumation, seismic activities, and climate effects of plate tectonics
etc.).


The website is still under construction and we welcome any suggestions and
contributions that will improve the site to make it the major resource in
our science.

If you have any questions, please contact either Hermann Lebit
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask] or Mark Jessell
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]


Best regards

The TecTask officers:
Cees Passchier (chair)
Mark Jessell (vice chair)
Hermann Lebit (general secretary)
Paul Bons
John Dewey
Bruce Hobbs
Ron Vernon


TecTask's Objectives

The Task Group on Tectonics and Structural Geology (TecTask) represents an
initiative of Earth Scientists dedicated to stimulate communication and
coordination within the international science community and to provide
information to the public.  The group encourages innovative research and
continued education in Tectonics and Structural Geology, the growth of
intellectual capital and hence the impact of our science on the wealth of
the global society.  TecTask reaches out to scientists and students,
particularly those from developing countries, to share cutting edge research
and development, and state-of-the-art training. Dialog and cooperation is
welcomed with organisations, industries and administrations regarding
applications in Structural Geology and Tectonics for sustainable use of the
world's natural resources, the preservation of the environment and
prevention of natural hazards.
         Advances in innovative micro-analytical to space borne technologies
combined with the exponential growth in computational power tremendously
increases our capability to model and monitor geological processes in great
detail. Nevertheless, fundamental observations have to be recovered from
field studies and particularly Structural Geology and Tectonics, as all
Earth Sciences, rely on the careful collection of geological data, the
examination of natural rock morphologies and their inherent rock properties.
Thus, TecTask is particularly dedicated to promoting field observation and
analysis of natural geological bodies to a broad international audience in
support of our efforts studying processes leading to the complex
architecture of the earth's lithosphere, exploring resources and predicting
potential threats by natural hazards.