Meng Ersheng stands out as a superstar among the many people who contributed to bringing together SEG and Chinese geophysicists in the 1980s. He deserves a lion's share of the credit for the success of many of the joint SEG/China geophysical meetings. He made the most of his involvement in the Chinese Society of Petroleum Geophysicists in order to facilitate development of an on-going, in-depth information exchange among Chinese and SEG professionals. Fortunately for everyone involved, Meng is one of the very few among us to speak and write both English and Mandarin Chinese fluently. He is also always friendly, understanding, sharp, and energetic; he is an action-oriented man with whom any exchangeubusiness or personaluis truly a pleasure.
     Meng received his bachelor's degree in mining engineering, then took part in gravity surveys and well logging operations in Taiwan. In 1948, he attended the Colorado School of Mines for postgraduate studies in applied geophysics. After his return home, he worked as area chief geophysicist, exploring for oil in several different regions of China. In 1973, he became chief geophysicist of the Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting, Ministry of Petroleum (now the China National Petroleum Corporation). In this position, which he held until 1988, he had, among other things, technical responsibility and/or influence over some 250 seismic crews.
     For many years now, Meng Ersheng has been an influential member of the Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG), an affiliate of the Chinese Petroleum Society. During 1984-88, he was president of the SPG and since then, he has served as its vice-president. Meng has attended SEG meetings in the US and has made the most of these visits to widen even further the circle of his numerous friends in the geophysical community. Meng has been SPG's representative in the organization of six joint SEG/SPG technical meetings in China. In 1991, he was co-chairman of the Chinese delegation at the 13th World Petroleum Congress in Buenos Aires and served as second vice-chairman of the Forum on the Progress in Seismic Data Acquisition and Processing.
     Although Meng is officially retired, judging by his agenda, the activities he no longer must perform have been amply replaced by others equally productive and demanding. He currently is in charge of organizing technical meetings in various petroleum-producing provinces in China, thus facilitating the participation of geophysicists working there. Recently Meng turned his attention to the complexities of geophysical exploration in the carbonate areas of southwestern China, and he continues to devote considerable time to this. Furthermore he has been editing both Chinese and English editions of a work entitled Geophysical Case Histories in China.
     Life Membership in the SEG occasionally is awarded by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee to someone whose service to the Society is of exceptional merit. All of us who have participated in the development of professional ties between Chinese and SEG geophysicists are well aware of Meng Ersheng's vital contributions to our mutual goals, and we are extremely pleased that he is joining us now as a Life Member of SEG.

     Stan Jones