Paul L Stoffa
Professor Emeritus, Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences
As Director of The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics from 1994 through 2008 and Shell Distinguished Chair in Geophysics (Department of Geological Sciences) (1997-2013), Dr. Paul L. Stoffa applied his expertise in multichannel seismic acquisition, signal processing, acoustic and elastic wave propagation, modeling and inversion of geophysical data, along with his knowledge of parallel computers, to develop new seismic data acquisition and processing methods for use to address complex geologic problems.
Dr. Stoffa received his B.S. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1970 and his Ph.D. in Geophysics from Columbia University (Lamont) in 1974. He has published over 100 research articles in refereed journals and co-authored Global Optimization Methods in Geophysical Inversion as part of the Elsevier Advances in Exploration Geophysics series. Dr. Stoffa was a member of the Board of Governors of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc. (now the International Ocean Discovery Program, or IODP) and served as chairman from 2005-2007. He was also a member representative for The University of Texas at Austin to the Consortium for Ocean Leadership from 2007-2009. A member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) which awarded him an Honorary Membership, the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), Dr. Stoffa is also a recipient of the Society of Brazilian GeophysicistsÂ’ Foreign Geophysicist Recognition Award. He is an associate of the EDGER Forum, an industry consortium that sponsors Education & Research in Exploration Geophysical Technology.
Areas of Expertise
Multichannel seismic acquisition, signal processing, acoustic and elastic wave propagation, modeling and inversion of geophysical data
Foreign Geophysicist Recognition Award - Society of Brazilian Geophysicists (2003)
Present Chairman, Board of Governors, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc. (IODP-MI) (2005 - 2007)
Convener, Velocity Analysis Workshop , 9th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society, Salvador, Brazil (2005)
Invited Lecture, 9th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society, September 2005, Salvador, Brazil (2005)
Invited Lecture, Research projects at The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, Department of Earth Science Seminar Series, Rice University, Houston, TX (2005)
Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc. (IODP-MI) (2004 - 2005)
Invited Lecturer, Parallel Processing of Seismic Data, CPGG/UFBA - Research Center in Geophysics and Geology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil (2004)
to be entered, Interactive Workshop to address Current Problems in Acquisition, Processing and Interpretation of Multicomponent Seismic Data, Follow-up workshop to the EDGER Workshop held December 2003 at Shell in Houston (2004)
Interim President, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc. (IODP-MI) (2003 - 2004)
Invited Lecture, Migration velocity analysis: a problem for non linear optimization, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil (2002)
Member, Steering Committee, John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin (2001)
Member, Executive Committee, Geology Foundation, The University of Texas at Austin (2001)
Associated Faculty, Oriented Seismic Research Program (M-OSRP), University of Houston (2001)
Member, Integrated Solid Earth Science (ISES) External Scientific Advisory Board, The Netherlands Research Centre for Integrated Solid Earth Science (2001)
Representative, Society of Exploration Geophysicists District 3 (2000 - 2003)
Chairman, Board of Governors, Joint Oceanographic Institutions (2000 - 2002)
Member, Strategic Planning Group , Visualization Lab, The University of Texas at Austin (2000 - 2001)
Invited Lecturer, Parallel Computing for Seismic Processing, CPGG/UFBA - Salvador, Brazil (2000)
Invited Lecturer, Oceanography: The Making of a Science, People, Institutions, and Discovery (symposia), Office of Naval Research, Texas A&M University (2000)
Invited Lecturer, High Performance Parallel Computing Symposium, Cost effective parallel seismic computing using a PC cluster, Applied Research Laboratories (1999)
Invited Lecturer, The Future of Exploration Geophysics: Meeting the Needs of Industry and Academics, UT Department of Geological Sciences (1999)
Workshops, Brazilian Geophysical Society, 3D Parallel Processing Workshop, Cost effective parallel seismic computing using a PC cluster, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1999)
Member, Information Technology Coordinating Council, The University of Texas at Austin (1998 - 1999)
Member, High Performance Computing Oversight Committee, The University of Texas at Austin (1998 - 1999)
Invited Lecturer, Practical Approaches to Uncertainty Estimation in Geophysical Inversion, Sociedade Brasileira de Geofisica, Sao Paulo, Brazil (1997)
Invited Lecturer, Nonlinear Optimization Methods in Geophysics, Universidade Federal da Bahia, sponsored by the Sociedade Brasileira de Geofisica, Salvador, Brazil (1997)
Member, Digital Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, The University of Texas at Austin (1996 - 1998)
Workshops, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Workshop on Wavelet Estimation and Lithology Inversion, SA and GA: Tools for Estimating the Macro-model, Paul L. Stoffa and Mrinal K. Sen (1996)
Workshops, AVO analysis of Mobil data by a linearized inversion in the t-p domain, Xia, Ganyuan, Mrinal K. Sen, and Paul L. Stoffa, Workshop on "Comparison of seismic inversion methods on a single real data set," (1996)
Member, Building Advisory Committee of the General Faculty, The University of Texas at Austin (1995 - 1999)
Member, Editorial Board, Brazilian Journal of Geophysics (1995 - 1998)
Workshops, Removal of Multiples and Free Surface Effects in Marine Seismic Data, EAGE Workshop, Glasgow, Scotland (1995)
Member, Board of Governors, Joint Oceanographic Institutions (1994)
Member, Executive Committee, Joint Oceanographic Institutions (1994 - 2003)
Member, Board of Governors , Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (1994)
Member, Board of Directors, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (1994 - 1997)
Workshops, Rifted Ocean-Continent Boundaries, NATO Workshop, Mallorca, Spain (1994)
Workshops, EDGE/MARGINS Workshop to review recent progress in continental margin research and outline outstanding scientific targets that are addressable seismically, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (1993)
Associate Editor, Journal of Seismic Exploration (1992)
Member, Ocean Studies Board, National Research Council (1992 - 1999)
Chairman, Committee on the Arctic Research Vessel, National Research Council (1992 - 1999)
Chairman, Report Review Committee, National Research Council (1992 - 1999)
Committee Member, NOAA Sea Grant Reviews, National Research Council (1992 - 1999)
Committee Member, Marine Geology and Geophysics Reviews, National Research Council (1992 - 1999)
Workshops, Workshop on Shallow Water Acoustics, Office of Naval Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. (1991)
Workshops, Gas Hydrate Workshop, U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown, U.S. Geological Survey and Naval Research Laboratory, Reston, Virginia. (1991)
Invited Speaker , Workshop on High Resolution Offshore Seismic for Defense Purposes, A High Resolution 3D Survey, Naval Oceanographic and Atmospheric Research Laboratory, University of Houston, Houston, TX. (1991)
Member, Project Team "Ocean Continent Lithosphere Boundary", International Lithosphere Program (1990 - 1998)
Invited Speaker, Workshop on the Antarctic International Lithosphere Project, National Academy of Science, Washington, D.C (1989)
Co-Convener, Geophysics and Computers - A Look to the Future, Houston Area Research Center, The Woodlands, TX (1989)
Co-convener, Exploration of Deep Continental Margin Crust with Closely Spaced Shots and Receivers, Houston Area Research Center, The Woodlands, TX (1989)
Participant, Continental Margins Workshop, National Research Council, Irvine, CA (1988)
Member, Editorial Board, Tectonophysics (1987 - 1988)
Associate Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research (1983 - 1986)
Member, Committee on Geophysical Activity, Society of Exploration Geophysicists' (1982 - 1989)
Member, IEEE Committee , Multidimensional Signal Processing (1981 - 1985)
Member, Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Member, American Geophysical Union
Member, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers