Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
New Director ................................4 New Faculty .................................5 Faculty Research ..........................6 Convocation 2009........................7 Student Spotlight .........................8
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21 International Corner
OUtreach
22 Alumni
Alumni Interviews ......................22 Colombian OU Alumni Assoc. ....25 ClassNotes .................................28
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Earth & Energy
University of Oklahoma Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy
Designer: Old Hat Creative Managing Editor: Nala Williams Photo Credits: Maria Cardenas, Sebastian Bayer, Jenny Cole, Sue Crites, Austin Heape, Norman Party Pics, Shevaun Williams and Associates Commercial Photography, Inc., Rose Marie Sondergeld, Michelle Summers, Robert Taylor, Yoana Walschap, Nala Williams. Contributing Writers: I. Yucel Akkutlu, Jenny Cole, Sue Crites, Elizabeth Ehrhardt, Larry Grillot, Austin Heape, David London, Megan Elwood Madden, Samuel Osisanya, Connie Smith, Chandra Rai, Allison Richardson, Yoana Walschap. of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. The mission of the University of Oklahoma is to provide the best possible educational experience for our students through excellence in teaching, research and creative activity, and service to the state and society. Funding for this publication is provided by the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Board of Visitors. For more information, contact: Nala Williams Alumni Communications Coordinator Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy The University of Oklahoma 100 East Boyd Street, Room 510 Norman, OK 73019-1006 Phone: (405)325-3821 Fax: (405)325-3180 Website: http://mcee.ou.edu Email: naila@ou.edu
Earth & Energy magazine, printed by the University of Oklahoma Printing Services, is issued by the University of Oklahoma. 5400 Copies have been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma. The University
MCEE IT SUPPORT
EX-OFFICIO
Joseph Dischinger Eric Erickson Larry R. Grillot, Dean Emmitt Lockard Tom Hooper
Sincerely,
Larry R. Grillot Dean, Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Lester A. Day Family Chair
OUs Office of Development, and values the many good friendships he has established with alumni over the years. Shadids goal for the college is to close out the campaign in a timely fashion, given the current economic environment. Currently, the MCEE Campaign has raised $56 million of the $80 million goal. He sees the role of the college as providing students with the resources and opportunities necessary to set them apart from their peers as leaders in their fields. Based on evidence from past graduates, Shadid says it is important to continue this trend which, he says, can be accomplished by providing a handson lab environment for the students, rather than through a virtual experience, making them more attractive to potential employers.
When asked about his hobbies, Shadid lists spending time with his wife, Kristy, and 2-year-old son, A.J.; playing golf; cooking; and working in the yard. He is still active in his fraternity, Delta Upsilon. He also is involved in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and hopes to become more involved on the District IV Board. With Grillots leadership, coupled with key support from alumni and corporate partners, Shadid is totally committed to the mission of the college and university.
mPge FacUltY
Ramadan Ahmed
Ramadan Ahmed joined the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering in the fall of 2008 as an assistant professor. Before coming to OU, Ahmed worked for five years as a senior research associate and adjunct professor at the University of Tulsa. His specializations include drilling fluid rheology, borehole hydraulics and cuttings transport. Ahmed holds a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; he earned his masters and doctoral degrees in petroleum engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway. He has authored more than 30 research and technical articles. Ahmed also is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
From left: Deepak Devegowda, Jeffrey Callard, Ben Shiau, Ramadan Ahmed
and doctoral degrees in petroleum engineering, from Texas A&M University. From 1998 to 2001, he was engaged in formation evaluation services with Halliburton for clients in Egypt and India.
B.J. Shiau
B.J. Shiau is an assistant professor in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering and director of the Applied Surfactant Laboratory. He comes to us with an educational background in chemical engineering and civil engineering. Before joining MPGE in the fall of 2008, Shiau worked for Surbec Environmental and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has many years of research experience in designing groundwater remediation systems, including in situ surfactant flushing, permeable reactive barriers, chemical oxidation, and ex-situ soil washing. In the past few years, Shiau has conducted numerous full-scale projects and demonstrations using surfactant flushing at Department of Defense sites (such as Hill Air Force Base, McClellan Air Force Base, Dover Air Force Base) and industrial or underground storage tank sites. He was granted several U.S. patents for the work conducted at Surbec in developing newgeneration surfactants for remediation of fuel oils and heating oil. In MPGE, Shiau is working on novel surfactant systems and chemical flooding for enhancing crude oil recovery. His recent research interests also include CO2 capture and injection, biosurfactants, nanotechnology and applied colloid chemistry for characterizing reservoir conditions and enhancing oil recovery. Shiau is a professional engineer and a licensed environmental remediation consultant. He has published 20 refereed articles and three U.S. patents.
Jeffrey G. Callard
Jeffrey G. Callard is an assistant professor of petroleum engineering at OU. He teaches courses in petroleum project evaluation, advanced production engineering, and natural gas engineering, while conducting research in decline curve analysis in tight sand and shale gas reservoirs. Prior to joining OU, Callard worked for 16 years in exploration and production and related industry. He received his degrees in petroleum engineering from OU, Stanford and LSU. Callard is a member of SPE and has previously published papers on decline curve analysis in its journal. He also currently serves as an undergraduate adviser in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.
Deepak Devegowda
Deepak Devegowda came to OU in August 2008 as an assistant professor in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering. His research interests lie in the areas of high-resolution reservoir description using inverse methods, data assimilation schemes for stochastic reservoir modeling and geostatistical reservoir characterization. His research also is geared toward understanding, modeling and management of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, enhanced recovery processes, groundwater systems and contaminant transport. Devegowda holds a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India. He earned his masters
interests
it disappears. Measurements jarosite lifetimes will determine how long Mars was wet in areas where the mineral is observed. Her second project, Water Elwood Madden with John Leeman and Shayla Zahrai and Carbon Reservoirs: Combining thermodynamics and kinetics to develop geologic models of gas hydrate distribution and flux on Mars, investigates the rate of gas hydrate formation and decomposition under Mars relevant conditions to determine the role gas hydrates may play in global change on Mars and other planets, including Earth. For more information on Elwood Maddens research, visit her Web page at http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/E/Megan.E.Elwood.Madden-1/. multi-scale and multiphysics effects. He says some currently tend to look lump these as non-Darcian effects, which appear in the usual picture as a nuisance requiring corrections, while using the conventional engineering techniques. Akkutlu, however, thinks these Akkutlu with international graduate students (from effects may be the left) Ebrahim Fathi and Mery Diaz-Campos. dominant ones. He adds: We are not dealing with a reservoir flow problem with non-Darcian effects; what we have on the table is a complex non-Darcian flow problem. . . . gas shales are indeed the most complicated micro-fabricated MEMS product of nature an engineer can face throughout his/her career. In addition to his teaching and active research interests, Akkutlu serves as the graduate liaison for MPGE and is actively involved with international outreach (see International OUtreach section on pg. 21). For more information on Dr. Akkutlus research, visit http://mpge.ou.edu/faculty_staff/faculty.html#yucel.
convocation
Clockwise from top Left: Dean Grillot, Emad Alabbad, Grads having fun, students leading the OU chant
2009
Following the deans welcome, MCEE Outstanding Senior, Emad Alabbad, delivered a speech that was both amusing and inspiring. Carl Sondergeld, associate dean of the MCEE, filled the role of convocation enunciator as the students made their way across the stage to receive their diplomas. Faculty advisers were on hand to perform the special hooding of their doctoral candidates, followed by masters and bachelors candidates. Also in attendance was Regent Richard Dunning, who congratulated the graduates as they made their way across the stage. To close the event, graduating students Lindsay Guest, Damilola Olusola, Andrew Thiel and Beau Utley led the audience in the OU Chant, accompanied by Dean Grillot on piano. Following the ceremony, graduates and guests were treated to sounds of Mozart, performed by the Rotavele String Quartet, at a reception held in Oklahoma Memorial Union.
The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy held its fourth convocation ceremony on Saturday, May 16, in the elegantly appointed Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center. This year marked the largest graduating class to date, with 108 graduates participating in this momentous occasion.
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The ceremony began with the playing of Pomp and Circumstance, while graduates, led by CPGG and MPGE faculty dressed in full regalia, streamed into the historic auditorium carrying the school and college banners. Dean Larry R. Grillot welcomed graduates, their families and guests, and spoke about the impressive accomplishments of the MCEE students and faculty during the past year.
Emad Alabbad accepts his Outstanding Senior award from OU President David L. Boren; with Dean Larry Grillot and Mary Martha Stewart, president of OU Parents Association
McMahon says it is a thrill to wake up every day in a foreign country with the opportunity to explore and experience its culture. She says she has gained a greater appreciation for international cultures as well as her own. Honestly, you have to experience another culture before you can truly reflect on and appreciate your own. Studying abroad is one of the best decisions Ive made in my life. In addition to missing her family, McMahon says she misses the little things like free water and refills in restaurants. McMahon returns to the United States at the end of July and will graduate from OU in the summer. She plans to pursue a masters degree in international programs at Michigan Tech University. While there, McMahon will join the Peace Corps for two years, studying hazard mitigation in Pacific Latin America. G. Randy Keller, Director of the Oklahoma Geological Survey, professor and McCollough Chair in CPGG, is Nicoles undergraduate adviser.
From left, Jim Bruton, M-I SWACO; John Yearwood, Smith International, Inc.; and Chandra Rai, MPGE Director, unveil photographs of the new drilling fluids lab.
Osisanya thanked M-I SWACO personnel present for providing the students with a lab that makes it possible for all the students to have hands-on experience exactly the way they will be doing it after graduation at the rig site. Osisanya also explained that the successful drilling and completion of oil or gas wells depend on selecting the best drilling fluid. The new M-I SWACO lab is being used to
teach undergraduate students how to test, evaluate and develop an understanding of these fluids. Two undergraduate students who are benefitting from the lab, Casie Sudderth and Jonathan Chastain, were invited to speak on behalf of the students. In her remarks, Sudderth, who is graduating in the spring, stated that this equipment is not available to students at other universities, so it is great knowing that I have the opportunity to take my unique knowledge out into the industry when I graduate. Sudderth thanked M-I SWACO for their donation and for contributing not only to her education, but to that of her classmates and those who will follow after them.
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Maria Isabel Cardenas came to Norman in 2003 to study English at the Center for English as a Second Language, with the intentions of pursuing a masters degree in petroleum engineering. Conversations she had with University of Oklahoma students led Cardenas to apply to OU and says that, OU filled my educational expectations because its masters program in petroleum engineering offered the choice to learn from new and integrated fields of knowledge. In my case, I wanted to gain a background in areas such as geology and geophysics, which helped me to become an interdisciplinary professional. In 2004, Cardenas began her petroleum engineering program which, at that time, was in the College of Engineering. In May 2006, Cardenas, along with other colleagues, joined the elite group of first-time graduates in the newly established College of Earth and Energy. That first year, the college graduated approximately 82 students. This past May, the college had its largest graduating class since its inception with nearly 140 students. 11 When asked what it meant to be a part of a new college, Cardenas said, I was excited to graduate from the new college because I believed that the new approach to education made me a stronger and more competitive professional in my field. Being under the guidance of
Making history, Cardenas at the first convocation ceremony in the College of Earth and Energy, May 2006. First graduates of the College of Earth and Energy, May 2006.
Dr. Roger Slatt from the (ConocoPhillips) School of Geology and Geophysics, and Dr. Chandra Rai from the (Mewbourne School of ) Petroleum Engineering, gave me the opportunity to apply different points of view to my thesis and to make it interdisciplinary, by successfully combining my background as a petroleum engineer with geology. Cardenas is a reservoir engineer for ConocoPhillips in Houston. She currently is working on simulations projects with experienced engineers. Upon completion of her current project, she would like to work in Indonesia for a few years before working with unconventional resources in South America.
Bartlett, who is from Tulsa, Okla., is the son of Dewey Bartlett, Jr. and Susan Bartlett.
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With students in the lab from left, Rika Burr, Brian Harms, Stacey Evans and Kevin Hathaway.
London Nominated for MSA Distinguished Lecture Series London also has been selected as one of three lecturers for the Mineralogical Society of America in 2009-2010. The titles of the talks to be offered are: Gem-Bearing Pegmatites: Natures Fancy Rocks, and The Experimental Foundations of Igneous Petrology. For more on the program, visit minsocam.org/MSA/Lecture_Prog.html
STUDENT NEWS
AAPG/SEG Spring Break Student Expo
March 12 through 14, OUs ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics hosted the ninth annual American Association of Petroleum Geologists/ Society of Exploration Geophysicists Spring Break Student Expo in the Sarkeys Energy Center. They had a record-breaking registration of 221 students from 62 universities, including a student who came from Mexico. Of the 221 students registered, an estimated 205 attended the Expo. The event was sponsored by 37 companies, 23 of whom had representatives in attendance with display booths. Universities represented at the spring expo included: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, with a contingent from
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First- and second-place winners at SEG/AAPG Challenge Bowl, University of Oklahoma, March 2009: Bradley Wallet, Oswaldo Davogustto, Peter Duncan, Jonathan Funk, Jefferson Chang
G. RANDY KELLER
aPPointed neW ogs director
Although not quite a new face, faculty, staff and students gathered in Sarkeys Energy Center on Feb. 27 to officially congratulate and welcome new Oklahoma Geological Survey Director, G. Randy Keller. The gathering provided his MCEE colleagues a chance to visit Kellers new offices and talk with him about plans for Survey activities in the coming years. Larry Grillot, MCEE dean, introduced Keller and talked about the enthusiastic response from OGS staff and others when Keller applied for the position. Keller became interim director in November 2007, following the retirement of Charles J. Mankin, who had held the position of director for 40 years. Keller stepped in with enthusiasm and a clear direction for the OGS, putting the Survey on track to celebrate its centennial in November 2008. Keller says he began to think about applying for the directors job on more than an interim basis soon after that centennial lookback at the first 100 years of the OGS. After I had been with the Survey for some time, I came to have a real appreciation for the staff, for the work they do and for the variety of programs carried out, he said.
As I became more involved, I also realized that my own research and the ongoing OGS programs are a great fit. Its also exciting to be affiliated with the College of Earth and Energy, because the Surveys wide range of expertise provides so many opportunities to collaborate on projects across the college and interact with students. Keller also will continue as professor and McCollough Chair in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics, and will teach geophysics and tectonics and work with students. He emphasizes that the OGS will continue to work in the areas where it has had much success, serving the needs of industry and academia through research and outreach, while not overlooking the basic mission of public service. As always, the Surveys work will reflect the current needs of Oklahoma and the nation. (Submitted by Connie Smith, OGS information officer/Web manager.)
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CPGG winning students from left, Michael Murrell, Andrew Thiel, and Christopher Althoff are shown with OGS Director G. Randy Keller. Not shown: OU student Sarah Fadaiepour.
Geologists, geophysicists, landmen and engineers from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Colorado gathered for the Real Deal Mid-Continent Prospect Expo on Oct. 29, 2008. The Expo, which was held at the Oklahoma Museum of History in Oklahoma City, was a huge success. The Expo, a joint venture between the Oklahoma Geological Survey and Oklahoma City Geological Society, was designed to be a service to OCGS members and the geologic community in the Mid-Continent. Because of the Expos success, OCGS and OGS were able to fund a total of eight scholarships to geology and geophysics
students at OU and Oklahoma State University. Four students in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics at OU were awarded scholarships: Christopher Althoff, Sarah Fadaiepour, Michael Murrell and Andrew Thiel. Twenty-four prospect booths and 15 vendors displayed prospects and goods and services. The general consensus was that the expo was a successful venture, both for prospect exhibitors and the 230 attendees.
Left: Brian Cardott reviewing his poster display (Photo courtesy of Connie Smith) Right: OGS staff and professionals at the centennial celebration (Photo courtesy of Robert Taylor)
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Connie White and Jan Coleman serve refreshments at the OGS centennial open house. (Photo courtesy Connie Smith.)
From left, Dean Larry Grillot, James Gibbs, David Campbell, Marlan Downey, J. Denny Bartell, Roy Knapp, Roger Slatt, Jon Withrow, College of Engineering Dean Tom Landers, Robert Stephenson, Claudia Landrum, S. Kim Hatfield. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
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The event, which was graciously sponsored by Crawley Petroleum, Doug and Peggy Cummings, and Gene Van Dyke, was held at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Norman, Okla. The celebration began with a reception, followed by a dinner and program. Dean Larry R. Grillot welcomed the attendees, which included award recipients and families, college and school board members, alumni, and college faculty and staff. Following the welcome, Dean Grillot shared with guests the purpose and history of the awards. The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energys Board of Visitors chair, S. Kim Hatfield, announced the award winners, and Grillot recognized the recipients by reading their biographies. Each award winner, or his representative in attendance, was invited to share a few words at the podium. In closing, Grillot thanked alumni and guests for attending and for their support of the college.
S. Kim Hatfield, Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Board of Visitors Chairman presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to J. Denny Bartell. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to David G. Campbell. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to Jon R. Withrow. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Service Award to Professor Roger M. Slatt. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to James A. Gibbs. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Service Award to Marlan W. Downey. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Service Award to Robert L. Stephenson. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
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Hatfield presents the Distinguished Alumni Award to College of Engineering Dean Thomas Landers who accepted the award on behalf of the Lawrence G. Rawl family.. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Service Award to retired Professor Roy M. Knapp. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Hatfield presents the Distinguished Service Award to Claudia Landrum who accepted the award on behalf of her father, G. Carl Hale. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor.)
Pictured here in Lima, Peru, from left, Subhash Sha; Jaya Sha; Kelly Philp; Paul Philp; Guliz Civan and Faruk Civan.
400 potential graduate students have requested information on the colleges programs in the past 18 months). International
I. Yucel Akkutlu with students at ESPOL University, Guayaquil, Ecuador
students also are connecting with the college through video conferences organized by the student chapters of professional societies in other countries. The first video conference took place on April 21with the help of the OU American Association of Petroleum Geologists student chapter, and a handful of active student leaders in three Colombian universities representing professional societies, such as the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and the Colombian Association of Petroleum Geologists and Geophysicists. The hour-long technical conference facilitated 85 students in Bogota, Medellin and Bucaramanga, who listened to a talk on reservoir characterization by Roger Slatt, CPGG professor. Plans are already under way for fall 2009 to hold a second video conference involving Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia and Spain. With Latin American MCEE alumni scattered throughout the Western Hemisphere, OUtreach initiatives provide opportunities to reconnect with our International alumni and encourage our young alumni to learn more about the colleges goals and plans for the future. Article and photos courtesy Yoana Walschap
the UniversitY of oklahoma
academic alliance with PetroGroup, a training company in Colombia, and organized more
Video conference at OU; Roger Slatt (in hat) with Carlos Santacruz
industry in Bogota during the summer. These courses have raised the awareness of the college, not only within ECOPETROL, the Colombian State Oil Co. and one of the major beneficiaries of the courses, but with other national and international companies in that country (over
Alumni Features
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Van Dyke has been a great friend and benefactor to the University of Oklahoma and to the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. Through his generous leadership gift, the plaza level in the Sarkeys Energy Center will be renamed the Gene Van Dyke Plaza, and renovations to house a formal conference room and three computer lab classrooms will begin in the fall.
Alumni Features
hundreds of millions of barrels of reserves. In July 2008, Henry Petroleum Co. was sold to Concho Resources, Inc. OU football still holds a place in his heart, and he looks forward to attending the OU/Texas games annually, where he reconnects with fellow alumni. He and his wife, Paula, who was a history teacher at Midland College, have three children and six grandchildren. On April 23, Henry was inducted into the Petroleum Hall of Fame at the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland.
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MPGE Alumnus,
western Canada. With his former partner, they started Collins & Ware in 1988, later selling to Apache.
From left, Felipe Gallego, Larry Grillot, Abel Chacon, Yoana Walschap, Alejandro Carrascal, Luz Angela Lozano, Luis Carlos Rodriguez
Grillot spoke about the new college and plans for the future, while Abel Chacon, 2008 COUAA president, talked about the importance of giving back to the alma mater and the fundraising efforts for the scholarship fund, which is the main goal of the association. Yoana Walschap, COUAA treasurer and COLSA adviser, thanked COUAA officers for their hard work in setting up the association and encouraged the group to donate to this noble cause. The objective of the group is to provide scholarships to the OU Colombian Student Association (COLSA) members. Since 1995, when the Energy Institute of the Americas was established, many Colombians have come to OU, mainly to study in the areas of petroleum engineering, geology and geophysics. Currently, there are approximately 50 graduates in the Houston area and close to 20 students in the college. The group raised over $6,000 for scholarships, which will be matched by the OU Alumni Association. On Feb. 28, during the eighth annual Colombian Night event, $12,000 in scholarships was awarded to 16 students. Of the 16 students, four are from the Mewbourne College. (Yoana Walschap, contributor) To find out more about COUAA, or to become a member, e-mail Yoana Walschap at ywalschap@ou.edu or visit the COUAA Web site at www.couaa.com.
the UniversitY of oklahoma
Recently, the Colombian OU Alumni Association awarded scholarships totaling $12,600 to Colombian Student Association members. Among the recipients were four students in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. Recipients are chosen anonymously by COUAA alumni on the basis of need and GPA, and are required to submit an essay. The scholarships, which are matched by the OU Foundation, were announced by Dean Larry Grillot at Colombian Night on Feb. 28. Schlumberger DCS contributed $1,000 towards the scholarships. COUAA thanks Schlumberger for their generous donation, and especially Bob Davis, Scientific Adviser, who made this possible. The lucky college recipients were as follows: Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering Juan S. Galindo/undergraduate ($2,000) David Galvis/graduate ($500) Bielenis Villanueva/graduate ($500) ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics Diana Parada/graduate ($500)
From left, Bielenis Villanueva, David Galvis, Diana Parada. Not pictured, Juan S. Galindo. (Photo courtesy Yoana Walschap.)
COUAA has close to 20 members, most of them alumni of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. For more information on how to join the association, visit the COUAA Web site at www.couaa.com.
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Alumni ClassNotes...
(To be included in Alumni ClassNotes, send your updates and photos to naila@ou.edu) Christopher Bellman, MEE, MA 2007, project and trade finance analyst for Arab Petroleum Investments Corp. (APICORP), was married in Austin in December 2008. Both Bellman and his wife, Sirena, are now living in Bahrain. As APICORP maintains offices in both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Bellman splits his time between both places, spending a couple of days each week in Saudi Arabia. Bellman is an alumnus of the Managerial Energy Economics Program, formerly of the MCEE. Martin Calmels, MEE, MA 2008, has joined the French investment bank, Natixis, as a project finance analyst. While attending the University of Oklahoma, Calmels participated in the Managerial Energy Economics exchange program with the IFP School in Paris during the spring 2008 semester. Originally from Paris, Calmels now resides in Dubai, UAE. William Randy George, MPGE, BS 1981, retired in 2007 after a 22-year career in the U.S. Air Force as a weather officer. His assignments included a tour of duty in Germany, working at the Pentagon, and teaching at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He currently is working as a technical director on the OU Research Campus for an engineering company (BCI, Inc.) doing R&D on the National Severe Storms Lab Multi-mission Phased Array Radar project. George and his wife, Tamara (College of Allied Health 83), live in Norman. Their daughter, Melinda, is a sophomore at OU, majoring in communication. Sara Kaplan, CPGG, BS 2003; MS 2006, is co-owner of Native Roots Market in Norman, Okla. Opened in August 2007 in Normans downtown historic business district, the store offers a wide array of exotic spices, organic foods and products from fair trade organizations and other merchants from around the world, and grass-fed beef supplied by local farmers. Kaplans mantra is saving the world, one meal at a time. She credits her geology field camp experience with former adviser, CPGG professor Lynn Soreghan, as the impetus for becoming health conscious. Kaplan plans to offer instore classes on sustainable and natural living, and hopes someday to pursue her doctorate in environmental science and to teach geology. Learn more about Native Roots Market at http://www.nativerootsmarket.com. Akinwale Ogunkoya, MEE, MA 2007, is working as a project planner for Air Liquide in Houston. While in the MEE program, Ogunkoya participated in the IFP Exchange Program with the French Petroleum School in Paris. Air Liquides U.S. operation, American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. (American Air Liquide), is part of an international group specializing in industrial and medical gases and related services. Obinna Okoye, MEE, MA 2007, is currently on a temporary field assignment on a rig in Colorado. Okoye is employed with Schlumberger in their tech and field program, a special training
(Students photos courtesy Shevaun Williams & Associates Commercial Photography, Inc.) meWBoUrne college of earth and energY Sara Kaplan (Photo courtesy Nala Williams.)
program that only accepts 5 percent of newly hired engineers or scientists each year. It consists of an initial, temporary field assignment lasting between 15 to 18 months in one of their field locations worldwide. Its main purpose is to provide selected research, development and manufacturing employees with experience in field operations, creating a group of scientists and engineers who have obtained experience within a few years of joining the company.
Obinna Okoye
Norelis Rodriguz, CPGG, MS 2007, and Gustavo Diz, CPGG, MS 2008, gave birth to a son, Diego Ignacio, on July 27, 2008. Rodriguz works for Chevron in Houston as a geochemist. Diz is a development geologist for ConocoPhillips in Houston. Marinus Tabak, MEE, MA 2008, an alumnus of the former MEE program, returned home to the Netherlands after graduating in December 2008. He is working as a management/trainee for RWE/ Essent, one of the biggest utility/natural gas firms in Europe. While in the program at OU, Marinus participated in the IFP Exchange Program with the French Petroleum School in Paris.
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develoPment corner
The Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy is pleased to report another successful year in 2008. The goal of the university, shared by its alumni, is to see the academic programs in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics and the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering continue to be recognized among the elite programs in the world. Both schools continue to be national leaders, competing well with peer schools for top students and faculty. To achieve this goal, the college launched an $80 million capital campaign in November 2006. Campaign goals breakdown: of the opportunity to have their endowed scholarship and fellowship gifts doubled. For more information on development opportunities, please contact Ameil Shadid, director of Development, at shadid@ou.edu or at (405) 325-3821. MCEE 2008 Annual Fund Report The annual fund allows the dean to immediately respond to the colleges most strategic needs, solving problems as they arise and providing the flexibility to seize unexpected opportunities. Gifts to the college through the annual fund provide support for such needs as student travel, research, programs and events, computing, laboratory needs, tutoring and student organizations. Every gift, large or small, is important to our students, and it all adds up to success! Annual gifts received July 2008 through May 2009 437 in the amount of $494,531.35 Your MCEE 2009 Annual Fund request will be arriving soon. Your gift makes a difference every year. Please consider how you can give back to the college and to OU, so that current and future students may have enriching academic experiences and successful life opportunities. For more information on annual giving opportunities, please contact Allison Richardson, Alumni Relations, at arichardson@ou.edu or at (405) 325-2449. Renovations Update Renovation of the 15th floor of Sarkeys Energy Center, which will house the MCEE Deans administrative offices, will begin early fall. Renovations to the Sarkeys Energy Center tower, home to the new Gene Van Dyke Plaza, are scheduled to begin late fall. Also in the early planning stages is an update to the Youngblood Energy Library. Please visit our Web site at www.mcee.ou.edu for updates in the coming months. Previous space on the plaza will become three new computer classroom laboratories and one conference room. The addition of casual seating areas and an updated look to walls, floors and lighting will complete the renovation. The long overdue replacement of the materials used to cover the large east and west atria also will be completed in fall 2009, along with a fire and safety upgrade to the entire complex alarm system.
the UniversitY of oklahoma
Fellowships and Scholarship Endowment: Faculty Endowments: $14 million ($7 million in
private gifts and $7 million in the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education match); current: $6,105,250 Facilities and Resources: Sarkeys Energy Tower Renovation: $8.5 million; current: $6,400,200 Laboratory Resources and Endowments: $16 million; current: $5,471,045 Oklahoma Petroleum Information Center: $2.5 million; current: $90,000 Enrichment Endowments: Student Enrichment (lab software, field camp, field trips, activities, recruitment): $7 million; current: $19,034,581 Faculty Research Enrichment: Faculty Research Enrichment: $1 million; current: $120,000 Library Endowment: Library Endowment: $1 million; current: $1,681,510 As of December 2008, approximately $56 million has been contributed from more than 2,200 corporate and individual gifts toward the $80 million goal, nearly half of which has been given to support student scholarships and fellowships. The leadership and generosity of Curtis Mewbourne, a 1958 graduate of OUs Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering, has been a driving factor in scholarship and fellowship giving. Mewbourne agreed to match all undergraduate scholarship and fellowship gifts given by individual donors to the MCEE through March 31, 2008. More than 250 individual donors took advantage $30 million; current: $16,615,261
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CALENDAR OF EvENTS
2009-2010
Sept. 19-26 Sept. 30
Gramado, Brazil - http://www.tsop.org/
The Society for Organic Petrology 2nd Annual Real Deal Mid-Continent Prospect Expo
Oct. 3-7
Oct. 4-6 Oct. 4-7 Oct. 8 Oct. 18-21 Oct. 25-30 Oct. 30-31 Nov. 11 Nov. 12 Nov. 13 Nov. 13 Mar. 11-13
Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission 2009 Annual Meeting Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
2009 Oklahoma Oil & Gas Trade Expo Geological Society of America (GSA)
Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) University of Oklahoma Alumni Reunion and Homecoming OU College of Engineering Board Meeting Mewbourne School of Petroleum & Geological Engineering Industry Advisory Board Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Board of Visitors Meeting Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy Trailblazer Award and Fundraising Dinner AAPG Spring Break Expo
University of Oklahoma, ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics Contact: Niki Chapin at nchapin@ou.edu New Orleans, Louisiana
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Norman, OK - http://www.ou.edu/alumni/home/events/reunion.html
100 East Boyd, Room 510 Norman, OK 73019-1006 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
OU Football Schedule! Boomer Sooner! Sept.5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 28 Dec. 5 oU vs. Brigham Young at arlington oU vs. idaho state at norman oU vs. tulsa at norman oU vs. miami at miami oU vs. Baylor at norman oU vs. texas at dallas oU vs. kansas at lawrence oU vs. kansas state at norman oU vs. nebraska at lincoln oU vs. texas a&m at norman oU vs. texas tech at lubbock oU vs. oklahoma state at norman Big 12 championship at arlington