ECR Board Member Recruitment FAQ

What are the benefits of serving on GeoScienceWorld’s Board of Directors?

This is a unique and rare opportunity to contribute to the future of collaboration, research, and governance in the earth sciences. A 2018 study by Korngold Consulting (“Nonprofit Board Leadership Study”) found that individuals that serve on boards gained an increase in effectiveness and productivity in their careers, experienced an increase in appreciation of diversity of perspectives, felt more confident, improved their leadership skills, and their value as an individual contributor and team player. Serving on the GSW Board will also provide individuals will the opportunity to expand their network with researchers and leaders both in and beyond the geoscience community.

What is the GSW Board of Directors responsible for?

The Board of Directors is the governing body of GeoScienceWorld. The Board has the authority to oversee and manage the affairs and funds of the organization as defined and designated by the GSW Bylaws.

The primary obligations and responsibilities of the Board and its Directors are to ensure that organization fulfills its mission and meets its regulatory, fiduciary responsibilities and goals by overseeing and adopting policies and processes to manage risk and allocate resources (as needed) to help the organization achieve its mission, vision, short-term and long-term objectives. The Board and its Directors are also responsible for reviewing the performance of the CEO and the organization as well as influencing and shaping the organization’s culture and vision.

Interested applicants are encouraged to reach out to the Governance Committee directly at governance@geoscienceworld.org to learn more about the Board of Directors and the role of individual Director’s responsibilities.

How many members are on the GSW Board of Directors?

According to the GSW Bylaws, there can be anywhere from 7-14 members. There are ten members currently.  You can see who they are here.

How long does a Board Member serve?

Directors are elected to serve at least one, three-year term, which may be renewed for a second three-year term, for a total of up to six years. We encourage board members to serve for two terms, but it is not required.

What is the time commitment required to serve on the Board of Directors?

Aside from the meetings and associated travel when applicable, you should plan on allocating time to read pre-meeting materials (1-3 hours per meeting), respond to emails and polls (up to 1 hour), and potentially serve on subcommittees or working groups (variable). 

How many board meetings are held per year?

We hold two in-person meetings per year, in the spring and fall, and 4-6 virtual meetings throughout the year, as needed.  Typically, in-person meetings are two full days (excluding travel to and from the meeting) and virtual board meetings last between 1-2 hours.

Where are in-person board meetings held and who pays the travel and expenses to attend in-person board meetings?

The locations for in-person board meetings rotate and efforts are made to coincide with other earth science conferences and events to minimize travel disruptions. Generally, members are polled on the best dates and times for such meetings. Travel and associated expenses will be reimbursed by GSW. 

Are Board Members compensated for serving on the Board?

Directors serving on the GeoScienceWorld Board are volunteer positions; there is no financial compensation for service. Travel is paid for by GSW and other approved expenses are reimbursed.

What is the process for applicant evaluation and selection?

All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the GeoScienceWorld Governance Committee after the October 6^th deadline. The Governance Committee will contact qualified applicants to schedule a brief interview, giving the applicant the opportunity to learn more about serving on the GSW Board of Directors and giving the Governance Committee the opportunity to learn more about the applicant. All applicants will be contacted and notified of the result after the evaluation process has been completed.

The Governance Committee will select one applicant to nominate to the GSW Advisory Council[1] for consideration and election to the Board of Directors. The election will be held via email as soon as a qualified applicant is selected.  

When is the application due for consideration?

All applications must be submitted online via this form by October 6, 2023.

Who is on the GeoScienceWorld Governance Committee?

The Committee is composed of five members. Currently, the five members are: Gretchen Gillis (Chairperson), Paul Cleverley, Nur Schuba, Colin North (Chairperson of GSW Board of Directors) and Phoebe McMellon (CEO of GSW).   Three members are appointed by the GSW Board of Directors, and the other two members include the Chairperson of the GSW Board of Directors and the CEO of GSW.

Who can I contact to find out more about serving on the GSW Board?

If you have questions, please feel free to email the Governance Committee directly at governance@geoscienceworld.org. Someone will reach out to you within 24 hours.

About GeoScienceWorld

GeoScienceWorld (GSW) was founded in 2004 by seven of the leading geoscience professional societies[2] with a mission to enable geoscience societies to better serve their discipline and community through collaboration. The goal of our co-founders was to bring together peer-reviewed society research online in a nonprofit aggregate and to convey cooperative advantages, so that smaller organizations would be uplifted and supported by their larger colleagues. 

Today, we work with societies, institutions, and researchers around the world to provide a single source of access to leading scholarly journals and ebooks. 

Through our Society Services program, we provide innovative products and shared services to help societies reduce costs and increase efficiency. Recently, GSW expanded its expertise into open-access publishing in alliance with seven participating societies. Since our founding in 2004, GSW has returned nearly $60 million to membership societies to achieve their scientific missions.

[1] The GeoScienceWorld Advisory Council is composed of one appointed representative from each publisher or organization that licenses content to GSW and are the governing body that elect nominees to fill vacancies on the GSW Board of Directors. Each Advisory Council member has one vote in each election.

[2] GSW Founding Societies include American Geosciences Institute (AGI), American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Mineralogical Society of America (MSA), SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology, The Geological Society of America (GSA), The Geological Society of London (GSL) and Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG).