The AAPG Bulletin shapes thinking in the geosciences related to energy, and represents AAPG’s main intellectual arm. Nevertheless, many readers ask for content that is more relevant to their activities and authors ask for a faster publication process. 

It is important to understand this common sentiment, because the journal "belongs" to the AAPG members (who set its course through this very election process), and further dissatisfaction in the Bulletin may trigger a deflation in membership and erode a pillar of scientific and applied knowledge. 

Action is needed. And it is in this context that I am honored to accept the candidacy to editor, because I have been encouraged to apply by our own members who recognized me as the right person to tackle the situation. 

My main proposal is an ambitious Strategic Plan for the Bulletin based on rigor, relevance, and international vocation. Rigor will be increased by selection of reviewers; relevance by the senior and associated editor monitoring; and international vocation will fully bloom by encouraging the six continental AAPG Regions to decide what is most relevant for them. 

The items of the Strategic Plan, that should be coordinated with the AAPG leadership, are: 

• Elevate the priority of the needs of the Bulletin among the several activities and goals of the Association. 
• Create a "marketing" program (to attract authors, incentivize reviewers, invite authoritative associate editors, and disseminate articles once published) that specifically includes engaging small companies, technologycenters, and key universities to determine relevant interests and encourages their important contributions to the Bulletin. 

The items of the Strategic Plan that should be discussed among editors and staff of the journal are: 

• Goals based on metrics (i.e., number of submissions and articles published, acceptance rate, impact factor, submission-to-acceptance time, diversity in authorship, number of articles per area, feedback from the community). 
• Topics (i.e., data, technology, concepts, and overarching views aiming to understand petroleum systems and other earth systems related to energy and environment). 
• Content (i.e., large-scale studies; small-scale studies with multi-disciplinary approach; small-scale or mono-discipline contributions reserved for hot areas or exceptional circumstances; ad hoc Special Publications covering same topic with multiple articles; add to Results and Discussion a new section on “Applications - Implications”). 

My 19 years of work with colleagues at Eni, Shell and ExxonMobil will help execute the Strategic Plan. My engagement with students and faculty as adjunct professor at Rice University will be useful to solidify the bridge Academia-Industry. My activity as producer of the miniGeology.com podcast with –100s of video-interviews of celebrated geologists – will be a base for communication through modern media. The 64 papers in 36 different journals, together with the editing of an AAPG Memoir (99 authors, 30 reviewers, 40 affiliations) demonstrate the experience I have to benchmark and handle the scientific material, as well as care about human relationships, if elected Editor. 

As a result of this Strategic Plan, my experience, and my tenure as Editor, the Bulletin will continue to be a trusted source of AAPG information, and its relevance will increase amongst our membership and readers.