SEG Near-Surface Geophysics Technical Section Elections

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Adam R. Mangel, Ph.D., P.G., is a senior technical specialist, hydrogeologist, and geophysicist at Haley & Aldrich, where he supports water resources and environmental management projects. He also has experience in the energy and national security sector. His work integrates hydrogeology and geophysics to help clients understand complex subsurface systems and develop resilient, practical solutions.

Adam brings experience in field investigations, numerical modeling, geophysical data interpretation, conceptual site model development, and client-focused technical delivery. Before joining Haley & Aldrich, he worked as an earth scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and as a hydrogeologist in environmental consulting, with project experience spanning groundwater, vadose zone, remediation, and natural resource challenges.

In addition to his technical work, Adam has held several professional service and leadership roles. He chaired the American Geophysical Union Hydrogeophysics Technical Committee, served on the AGU Near Surface Section Executive Committee, contributed to Society of Exploration Geophysicists committees, and supported technical publications as a guest associate editor for Geophysics and The Leading Edge MangelCVSEGNS.pdf. He also has experience teaching and mentoring students through university appointments, field camps, and undergraduate research programs.

Adam holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and an M.S. in Hydrogeology from Clemson University, a B.S. in Geology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and completed postdoctoral research in geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines. He is a Professional Geologist in Virginia and received the Early Career Achievement Award from the American Geophysical Union Near Surface Geophysics Section. Adam values work-life balance, and has many hobbies including restoring and racing vintage motorcycles, gardening, fishing, and hunting.

Position Statement

As chair of SEG Near Surface, I will strengthen a practice-first community with a clearer identity, stronger partnerships, and practitioner-serving programming. Since near-surface geophysics/hydrogeophysics emerged in the 1990s, the science has matured—now we must shift energy from new methods toward broader adoption and real-world decision impact.

Near-surface geophysics creates value when it improves field decisions (safety, uncertainty reduction, subsurface-risk communication). AGU remains the unmatched international meeting for research, while SAGEEP (EEGS) is the applied, practitioner-centered home; SEG Near Surface should be the bridge to expand applied reach, but needs a clearer practitioner-facing role.

In my term I will: (1) run a member needs assessment (survey + targeted interviews across industry, government, and academia) and publish recommendations plus a 2-year applied-programming roadmap; (2) convene a SEG–EEGS/SAGEEP working group (and an AGU liaison as appropriate) to define collaboration options (co-developed sessions, co-location, shared short courses, cross-promotion); and (3) pilot practice-forward elements such as decision-focused case studies, stakeholder outreach, and/or a field-demo format.

This is not about replacing AGU or diminishing SAGEEP; it’s about reducing tradeoffs that we make as members of this community and sharpening a practice-centered value proposition for SEG Near Surface. Success means more practitioner and stakeholder participation and industry visibility, more applied short courses and case studies members can use immediately, clearer student/early-career pathways into applied work, and measurable growth in joint SEG–EEGS initiatives (attendance, submissions, short-course enrollment, and international participation).

SEG has an opportunity to be better known in near-surface for applied impact and professional community-building. By partnering more visibly with EEGS/SAGEEP and elevating application-forward content, we can strengthen the practitioner experience and make SEG Near Surface a welcoming home for implementation, standards-of-practice discussion, and real-world problem solving.

I bring sustained service and cross-community leadership: eight years on the SEG Scholarships Committee and former chair of AGU’s Hydrogeophysics Technical Committee. I’m ready to use that experience to deliver practical partnerships and member-focused, applied programming as chair.

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Position Statement

I am honored to run for Chair of the Near Surface Technical Section of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Near-surface geophysics occupies a strategic position within SEG and within society. It is closely connected to the places where people live, work, build, travel, and entertain. Its applications address practical and urgent needs that are less dependent on traditional market cycles, while also opening new directions for the evolution of geophysics beyond its historic association with the energy sector.

My vision is to help the Near Surface community become a stronger, more visible, and more influential section within SEG and beyond: stronger in membership, broader in societal impact, and more sustainable in its ability to support technical activity, professional development, and future revenue opportunities. To achieve this, I believe we must address three priorities: reducing fragmentation, expanding broader impact, and building wider global and interdisciplinary connections.

Core Values

Community building across methods and applications: Strengthen the sense of shared identity among near-surface geophysicists, regardless of preferred tools or technical specialties.

Societal impact and public visibility: Show how near-surface geophysics contributes to public safety, infrastructure resilience, environmental stewardship, resource sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Global engagement and next-generation leadership: Connect members across regions and career stages, and create pathways for students and early-career professionals to participate and lead.

Priority 1: Build a Less Fragmented and More Goal-Oriented Community

Near-surface geophysicists are often divided by method. Many members define themselves by the tools they use—electrical, electromagnetic, seismic, GPR, magnetic, gravity, borehole, or other approaches—rather than by the problems they solve. This natural division can weaken our collective voice on key agendas and may leave members without a strong feeling of belonging to an active, unified community.

As Chair, I would encourage activities organized around goals and applications rather than only methods. Potential actions include annual virtual special issues, focus-group activities on selected research themes, and technical events centered on problems such as groundwater, infrastructure, geotechnical risk, environmental monitoring, carbon storage monitoring, and climate-related hazards. I would also support discussions on new publication models and, where appropriate, explore opportunities for new near-surface publication venues or journal sections organized by applications rather than methods.

Priority 2: Expand the Broader Impact and Public Visibility of Near-Surface Geophysics

A major challenge for geophysics is visibility. Much of the discipline is distant from the daily life of the public, and traditional energy and resource markets can be strongly affected by economic cycles. These factors contribute to declining awareness of geophysics among talented students, reduced public funding, and narrower job markets. Near-surface geophysics has a unique opportunity to help redefine geophysics as a modern, visible, and socially relevant discipline.

I would work to highlight near-surface solutions for emerging applications with significant societal impact, including extreme weather resilience, infrastructure and urban monitoring, groundwater and environmental protection, geophysical security surveillance, autonomous navigation, geohazards, and energy-transition applications. This broader message can motivate young people, attract attention from new industries, and

create new sources of financial and institutional support. Practical first steps could include dedicated workshops, job fairs, site visits, application-focused webinars, and coordinated outreach through SEG communication channels and social media.

Priority 3: Strengthen Global and Interdisciplinary Connections

The SEG Near Surface community should not be technically or geographically isolated. Near-surface problems are diverse, regional, and multidisciplinary by nature. They require collaboration among geophysicists, engineers, hydrologists, geologists, environmental scientists, data scientists, public agencies, and industry partners. Sustainable growth will depend on building stronger connections across regions and across disciplines.

As Chair, I would advocate for a stronger global presence through near-surface-themed distinguished lectures, short courses, and technical programs that highlight regional problems from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, Oceania, and North America. I would also seek collaboration with sister societies such as AGU, EAGE, EEGS, and other regional geophysical and engineering organizations so that near-surface geophysics can have a louder collective voice and greater public exposure.

In the longer term, I am interested in exploring innovative platforms that connect near-surface problems around the world with solution providers, researchers, and technology vendors across regions. A more connected global marketplace of problems, expertise, and solutions would help mobilize intelligence, expand business opportunities, and support the sustained growth of the Near Surface community.

A Timely Opportunity for SEG Near Surface

SEG’s recent memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Geophysical Society to jointly hold the MUNCI meeting—focused on mining, unconventional, near surface, and carbon capture, storage, and monitoring industries—signals a clear intention to develop geophysical disciplines beyond the traditional oil and gas industry and to strengthen global connections. This is a unique moment for Near Surface to make a meaningful difference within SEG and beyond.

Qualifications and Commitment

I bring the perspective of both a researcher and a practitioner with extensive experience in near-surface geophysics. My background also includes experience in mining and the oil industry, which helps me understand how near-surface geophysics can navigate across sectors and contribute to new areas of growth. Having studied and worked in China and North America—two of the largest markets and innovation bases for applied geophysics—I value international collaboration and understand the importance of building bridges across regions.

As a professor of geophysics, I am particularly concerned about the next generation of geophysicists and the sustained development of our discipline. I believe the Near Surface Technical Section can play a central role in making geophysics more visible, more relevant, and more attractive to students, professionals, public agencies, and industry partners.

I would be grateful for your support and your vote. I welcome questions, ideas, and discussions from all members of the Near Surface community, and I look forward to working together to build a stronger, more connected, and more impactful future for near-surface geophysics within SEG.

Emails can be sent to [email protected].

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Sayan Mukherjee is a Ph.D. candidate in Geophysics at Purdue University. His doctoral research focuses on extracting high-resolution poroelastic properties of the near-surface from massive, continuous seismic datasets to monitor transient environmental and hydrological changes. Blending theoretical knowledge with practical industry experience, Sayan recently developed a robust surface wave inversion workflow for initial velocity model building for full waveform inversion as an R&D Geophysics Intern at TGS. He is deeply engaged in advancing the geophysical community, currently serving as a member of the SEG Early Career Community and having co-organized the “Infrastructure and Urban Geophysics” special session for the IMAGE 2025 conference. A dedicated academic leader, Sayan served on the Purdue EAPS Graduate Student Association, leading its Outreach Committee from 2023 to 2025, and co-led communication initiatives for the volunteer-driven organization Sci-ROI Global. His contributions to the field have been recognized with multiple honors from Purdue University, including the William J. Hinze Graduate Award in Exploration Geophysics and the Mobil Oil Award in Geology and Geophysics.

Position Statement:

As Secretary, my goal is to ensure the SEG Near Surface Leadership Team operates efficiently and transparently so we can focus on growing our community. I bring direct experience in the core duties of this role through my work with Sci-ROI Global, where I regularly organize meetings, record precise minutes, and recruit and coordinate volunteers. Additionally, co-organizing the infrastructure special session for IMAGE 2025 has honed my ability to manage complex schedules and track critical action items. Beyond daily administration, I plan to use my background in graphic design and digital communication to build high-quality, engaging quarterly newsletters and monthly News Briefs. By keeping our communications organized and our meetings highly productive, I want to provide the reliable support the committee needs to expand Near Surface’s visibility and membership.

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Shelby received a B.S. in Physics and a B.S. in Astronomy from Benedictine College in 2005 and a M.S. in Geology with an emphasis in Geophysics from the University of Kansas in 2008.  She joined the Kansas Geological Survey in 2008, where she is currently a research geophysicist in the Branch of Applied Geophysics and Field Services.  Shelby’s research is largely focused on geohazards in Kansas, including the management of the State earthquake network.  Her primary research interests are void detection (body wave diffraction and surface wave imaging methods) and induced seismicity.

Position Statement

As secretary, I will support the Near Surface leadership team and keep members informed with accurate and timely communication by leveraging my prior experience serving as secretary for the Benedictine College Physics Department Advisory Committee, organizational skills gained by hosting meetings for the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) Consortium to Study Trends in Seismicity, and broad knowledge of geophysics through my research at the KGS.