Changing roles of State Geological Surveys in the USA: Experiences from Illinois

Skip to Next Section State Geological Surveys (SGSs) in the United States play vitally important roles, providing unbiased and sound scientific information to each state and the nation. Although implementation of each survey's scientific program has evolved differently, these organizations are often the principal drivers of economic development, and they consult on policies for protecting land and water, mitigating geologic hazards, and promoting sustainable development. The SGSs are represented by the American Association of State Geologists (AASG), which for textgreater110 years has partnered with the federal government on important geoscience issues concerning topographic and geologic mapping; water, mineral, and energy resources; and geologic hazards. These collaborations continue to develop and expand across multiple specialties, providing critical support to the SGSs. The future role of SGSs will depend on legislative decisions, contributions to research and development (R&D) and scientific advancement, and ability to leverage support from existing and new collaborations with academia and with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies. The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), one of the largest SGSs, has continually pursued relationships across geoscience sectors to develop a strong multidisciplinary scientific program. Going forward, all surveys will be challenged to develop an effective data stewardship program to communicate with a diverse clientele.