240: Navigating Geoethics - Balancing Science and Responsibility in Geosciences

“Geoethics encourages us to think beyond just technical solutions and consider the long-term social and environmental impacts. It’s about embracing humility and seeing problems through multiple lenses to find sustainable solutions.” In this episode, Andrew Geary interviews Giuseppe Di Capua, a founding member and former president of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG). They discuss the connection between ethics and geoscience, highlighting the importance of ethical awareness for responsible scientific practices. Giuseppe shares insights on how geoethics can guide geoscientists to balance technical work with social and environmental responsibilities, aiming to foster sustainable interactions with our planet. Listen for a thought-provoking conversation on why geoethics is vital to responsible geoscience and how it can guide our efforts toward a more sustainable world. KEY POINTS & TAKEAWAYS > The Role of Geoethics: Geoethics combines scientific knowledge with ethical responsibility, encouraging geoscientists to consider their work's societal and environmental impact. > Balancing Growth and Sustainability: Younger geoscientists face balancing economic development with the need for environmental conservation, underscoring a shift towards sustainable geoscience practices. > IAPG's Mission: The International Association for Promoting Geoethics seeks to foster ethical awareness and inclusivity among geoscientists globally, especially in low-income countries, by promoting cooperative values like honesty, integrity, and transparency. > Educational Shift: Giuseppe advocates for integrating geoethics into academic training for geoscientists, emphasizing the importance of ethical, social, and cultural awareness in their professional roles. > Call to Action: Giuseppe challenges listeners to embrace geoethics in their work and daily lives, inspiring them to contribute to a sustainable future by recognizing the intricate connections between human actions and the Earth's systems. THIS EPISODE SPONSORED BY BLUWARE Bluware's InteractivAI is a human-powered AI seismic analysis tool, revolutionizing the way geoscientists extract value from seismic data. Unlike traditional seismic interpretation tools that just "check the box" for AI through black box algorithms, InteractivAI puts the interpreter in the driver's seat by presenting an intuitive, live feedback loop. Users experience a faster and more comprehensive interpretation, leading to higher-confidence decision-making. Learn more at https://bluware.com. GUEST BIO Giuseppe Di Capua is a geologist at the Istituto Nazionale Geofisica e Vulcanologia. His fields of experience cover engineering geology, geoethics, geoscience education and communication, and philosophy of geosciences. He is a Founding Member and Treasurer of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG); Task Leader on ethical aspects in the European Horizon 2020 project ENVRI-Plus, and Team Leader of the Erasmus+ project GOAL (Geoethics Outcomes and Awareness Learning); Member of the International Advisory Board of the European projects INTERMIN - International Network of Raw Materials Training Centres and SMART EXPLORATION; Webmaster and Member of the Publications Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences; Member of the Executive Committee of the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences; and author of articles in international journals and editor of books on geoethics. LINKS * Visit https://seg.org/podcasts/episode-240-navigating-geoethics-balancing-science-and-responsibility-in-geosciences/ for the complete show notes and links to learn more about IAPG. SHOW CREDITS Andrew Geary at TreasureMint hosted, edited, and produced this episode. The SEG podcast team comprises Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org.