Summary:

In June 1957, 13 local engineering geologists met in Sacramento, CA, to discuss the need for organization of a society in the specific field of engineering geology. During the next eight months, this group (the Founding Charter Members are enumerated below on this page) set up the framework of the California Association of Engineering Geologists by formulating the aims of the organization, a definition of Engineering Geology, and membership qualifications. In February 1958, although the Constitution and Bylaws were yet to be completed, membership recruitment was begun. Three Sections (Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco) were established.

The Association was incorporated according to the laws of the State of California on May 7, 1963. By this action, the original Executive Committee of twelve became the Board of Directors, and requisite constitutional changes were made accordingly.

During the early years following the formation of the Association, it became increasingly apparent that a need for a similar organization existed with engineering geologists everywhere, not just in California. Evident from the first were the geologists outside the State of California, who were concerned with the application of geology to problems of civil engineering, who showed a marked interest in the organization. In recognition of this need and interest, the membership voted better than 10 to 1 in late 1962 to remove all geographical limitations on the organization and to change the name to Association of Engineering Geologists. Constitutional changes to effect this organization were subsequently completed in early 1963.

In 1963, the first Section outside of California (Washington State) was established. Seventeen Sections, including two outside the United States, were recognized by 1973. On the occasion of the Association's twenty-fifth year, twenty-two Sections formed the regional units of the Association.

In 1964, AEG was accepted as a member society of the American Geological Institute.

Our membership is presently located in 15 countries. In the United States, AEG's membership comes from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

At the Past Presidents' Luncheon held at the 2004 Annual Meeting, the Past Presidents unanimously petitioned the Executive Council and Board of Directors to have the Association's name changed to the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists. The name change proposal was put up for a vote before the Association membership and was approved. On September 22, 2005, the name change became official at the AEG Corporate Business Meeting at the 2005 Annual Meeting. The name change reflects important changes in the public awareness of services provided by the Association members.

The Association has been serving members of both the environmental and engineering geology for a number of years, and the name change serves to provide formal recognition of this support.

The membership of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists continues to grow, as the field of Engineering Geology and Environmental Geology gains greater recognition and the need for our organization becomes more apparent. Ever-increasing interest is being shown by geologists from countries around the world as the importance of applied geology, in both the development and restoration of the earth, gains international recognition.