Alumni Notes
November 20, 2017
1940s
Howard R. Lowe (B.S. ’48) shares, “Old age has finally caught up. We are moving to Ft. Worth to a retirement facility to be near our daughter. We are in good shape, but my 94 years has slowed me down a bit — in fact, a helluva lot. I am continuing to work with a group of 35 retired NASA scientists and engineers on climate change. I also recently published a Kindle book on Amazon, Beyond Our Control: Debunking Manmade Global Warming. I have lunch occasionally with Dan Smith, and talk to Tom Burke frequently by phone. Time marches on. I have a photo of the Geology 660 Field Course crowd in summer 1948. As soon as I locate it, I’ll send it to the Jackson School.”
1950s
Raymond “Pat” Anderson (B.S. ’56) writes, “Joanne and I still enjoy frequent trips to Colorado Rockies. I still enjoy my bird dogs and quail lsc. I can’t believe we’re producing frac., shale Eagleford, etc. Hook ’em horns!”
Philip Braithwaite (M.A. ’58) says, “Barbara and I continue to enjoy retirment together in Dallas. This year will be our 59-year wedding anniversary. I have been retired for 19 years and did a fair amount of consulting and traveling in the first 10 years. I try to keep up with geological developments through AAPG, DGS and UT Dallas seminars.”
Robert E. Doyle (B.S. ’55, M.S. ’57) shares, “I am still in the business of completing and patenting inventions. These include oil spill containment systems, marine current power generation and wildfire control. Just received acceptance of patent
No. 9745951 from the USPTO. This renewable energy power generating system will be available for public review through the internet beginning August 29, 2017. The system is called SEAVOLT, a large, mobile subsea turbine/generator that will create electricity from the Florida Straits, arguably the fastest ocean current body in the world. This has never been done before. This device is robotic in that it is self-propelled, self-anchoring and is maintained in a submerged position below large ocean vessels through remote control by onshore personnel. SEAVOLT is environmentally friendly since it contains both fish deterrent systems and water intakeconduits covered by protective grids. Each system is designed to generate power for some 60,000 households. I had the pleasure of meeting UT President Greg Fenves again at his excellent presentation on November 1, 2016, at the Houston Country Club. The turnout was wonderful, and the attendees were spectacular. Feel free to call me should you wish to discuss the patent or just to Catch up on earlier times: 713-334-4464.”Bob can also be reached at red.aeig@att.net.
Jimmie Russell (B.S. ’52, M.A. ’54) reports, “THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY: The GOOD, maybe, is that I seem to have become a Father Figure to the Fraternity that put up with me when I was a student at UT, during a time when you did not have to put some geography after “The University of Texas.” The “Good-Ole-Days” – the OLD is NOW!! The BAD, is the baggage that comes free(?) with the title “Senior Citizen” — Senior to The UGLY, Look in the mirror, DUDE!!! Most of the time this year, I was at home doing very little. I don’t do NOTHING, and it takes me all-day to NOT do it! Otherwise, a major percentage of my time is visiting many different members, and facilities, of the medical profession. One highlight was the visit I had with the young lady that was a teacher when I worked with/ for her as an assistant teacher, working with Special Needs Middle and High School students in Round Rock, Texas. She was home for a visit from working with very young children in Rwanda, Africa. Other highlights were spending some time, in various ways, with friends of days of yore. The very best of all during this, was/is my dearest, my love, my wife, Rita. Remember dear hearts, there is always something wonderful, that hopefully will come to
pass. With luck, the powers that be, will get it figured out WHICH TOILET WE NEED TO GO TO!!! Contact me when
you can, keep the faith, & HOOK ’EM!” Floyd F. Sabins (B.S. ’52) says, “The 3rd Edition of my book “Remote Sensing – Principles and Interpretation” was published in 1997 and has been reprinted numerous times. There have been major advancements in the past 20 years. The publisher, Waveland Press, has requested a 4th Ed, which I am writing with a co-author, Jim Ellis, who is a long-term colleague. Jim brings a wealth of experience in non-geologic applications, which are essential in a modern textbook. My company, Remote Sensing Enterprises, Inc., has completed a series of projects for the U.S. DOD in a SE Asia country. Among other results, we processed and interpreted satellite images to identify a major new coal basin. Father Time has slowed me down, and I have foregone my annual fly-fishing trips to Alaska, Mexico and western U.S. I do have good memories of great fish that were landed, admired, photographed and released to fight another day.”
Leslie P. White (B.S. ’56) says, “Dianne and I continue on in SW Austin. The grandkids are close by and they are a great pleasure. We are so proud of JSG, and we enjoy staying in touch. I look forward to reading the Newsletter cover-to-cover every year. Your effort in making this publication so good is greatly appreciated.”
1960s
Russell S. Harmon (B.A. ’69) shares, “I completed my 5½-year appointment as Director of the International Research Office of the USACE Engineer Research & Development Center at the end of May and have left life in London for retirement back in NC. Life should continue to be busy though, with a continuing appointment as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Marine, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University and much unpublished stable isotope and laser spectroscopy research still to be written up for publication. But, Karen and I will begin by celebrating our retirements with a September excursion to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.”
J. Phil Jones (B.S. ’64) writes, “2017 has thus far been a year of remembrance. On April 30, I made it to 80 years. On June 2, my wife and I, with children and grandchildren, celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We traveled to Branson and enjoyed a week of entertainment and scenery in the Ozarks. The scenery was as beautiful as ever with lots of wild flowers and geology to explore. The area had experienced massive rains earlier and the lakes were still 20’ or so above the usual level. In the event you have opportunity, don’t miss the College of the Ozarks and the great food and museums on the campus. Having retired in June of 2012, we have made multiple trips to upstate NY (Richfield Springs and Cooperstown) with lots of history and geology to be enjoyed.
We have since assisted our daughter, son-in-law, and 4 grandchildren in a big move from NY to OK. They now reside in Edmond, OK as does our son, daughter-in-law and their 2 children. All within a stone throw from where we abide. While we greatly enjoyed the scenery of Upstate NY, we no longer have the burden of 1,500-mile trips to and from, and we now enjoy lesser fuel consumption and cost. Just returned from wonderful trip visiting both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks with brother, son, grandson, son-inlaw and son. Wow, what a wonderful way to enjoy God’s creation and to see it sustain and increase it’s beauty. The sight seeing, hiking and fishing are beyond comparison. I urge anyone not having visited these awesome places to include them in any bucket list. Most of our crowd spent 4 days in Glacier and 4 days in Yellowstone. I had two extra days in Yellowstone with my brother fishing. He has caught nearly every fish in the Gallatin and Madison Rivers and released every one. He ties flys, builds rods and teaches kid at camp fly fishing. We enjoyed the food of Bozeman and the wonderful Flathead Cherries. What a way to escape 100+ temps in OK and the cool summer mornings of Montana! Hoping this finds all of you in good health. You can reach me at philj1@cox.net.”
Jereld E. McQueen (B.S. ’61, M.A. ’63) reports, “Continuing to pursue investment opportunities. I am always amazed by and proud of the Jackson School of Geosciences’ excellent accomplishments.”
William Allen Monroe (B.S. ’63) shares, “My wife Debbie and I continue to travel extensively with a cruise through the Panama Canal, trips to Kauai and Tahiti early in the year, and a planned trip to The Balkans and the Danube River coming up at the end of August. We continue to be active in the AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates group with a meeting planned in Maine in September. I assist in scoring requests for grants through the L. Austin Weeks student grant program so it gives me a connection to the cost of education worldwide. Always enjoy getting back to Austin for the Jackson School functions and seeing old friends.”
Tom S. Patty (M.A. ’68) writes, “Still drilling in sand and gravel deposits as well as crushed stone for clients in Central Texas. Continued tending to wife JoAnn’s needs for 57 years and able to be with the kids and eight grandkids. Son John still working with major contractor in Austin, one daugther moving into a new home in Williamson County, another remodeling historical home on ranch in Hamilton County.”
Peter D. Rowley (Ph.D. ’68) says, “Had a busy year in my consulting business. But more fun was for free, on our Markagunt gravity slide, the world’s largest terrestrial slide, over 2,000 square miles in extent where the southern side of the Marysvale volcanic field failed about 21 Ma. Lots of mapping yet to do here in Central Utah with colleagues (Utah Geological Survey, Kent State University).”
Rubin Amos Schultz, Jr. (B.S. ’61) shares, “Still enjoying retirement and some traveling. Spent some time in Branson, MOo last fall. Also enjoying grandkids and two of them are expecting in August and October. So I will soon be a Great grandfather!! Where did all the years go? Anyway, it’s nice to see family grow. Still enjoy visiting UT and seeing places I once called home. The wife and I are planning our annual Branson, MO trip in November. Would love to see any of my old classmates.”
William Feathergail Wilson (B.S. ’60, M.A. ’62) reports,
“Still working as a geologist at the age of 82. Working as a petroleum and a groundwater geologist in West, Central and South Texas. Published two historical Texas novels last year, Nueces and La Tierra, with Amazon. Working on a third entitled The Golden Lane. All three are based on my own experiences in Texas and Mexico as a rancher and geologist.”
William C. Young (B.A. ’61) shares, “I’m still able to travel and enjoy life. Glaucoma is hampering my vision, but still have one good eye.”
1970s
Patrick Abbott (Ph.D. ’73) writes, “My life is still geology. Leading Smithsonian Journeys to all continents; 10th edition of textbook out; doing TV news; writing “legacy” books. Work is more fun than play.”
Janie Bell (B.S. ’78) says, “Living half-time in Dallas and half-time in Nashville. Come visit me class of ’78!”
C. Elmo Brown (B.A. ’76) shares, “I am still working in Denver at The Discovery Group, a small consulting firm known worldwide for its geology and petrophysical expertise. Kathy and I are still traveling around the globe, this year to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand (and Billings, MT, Casper, WY, Houston and Austin for
geoscience meetings).”
Royce P. Carr (B.S. ’76) reports, “I am still working in the Permian Basin and reside in Mount Pleasant, Texas. My wife, Deborah and I went to Italy this year with the Flying Longhorns. What a beautiful place! I now understand why one of my professors, Dr. Robert Folk, spent as much time as he could there.”
Frank G. Cornish (M.A. ’75) writes, “In October 2016, the company I explored for in Corpus Christi, SV Energy became Texegy, an acquisition company and was no longer in the conventional exploration business. I’ve been consulting for Suemaur Exploration, a conventional exploration company since then and nursing old prospects. Hurd Enterprises, San Antonio will drill one of them this August 2017. This summer at NAPE 2017 we will see how the industry pulse is, if alive at all. Our local SIPES group hosted the 2017 national convention in Vail, Co. I presented “Hydrocarbon Traps Associated with Upper Wilcox Canyons, Middle Texas Gulf Coast” which had been a poster session at the GCAGS 2016 convention. Along the way to and from Vail, I had selected excellent sights for geological and picturesque photos for my photography website, FrankGCornishPhotography.smugmug.com. I’ve put the geological pics on facebook, Frank G Cornish Photography. Let me know what you think, it’s ever expanding. They can be used in education with permission, so point teachers there, and I’ll allow classroom usage at their request. Hope you see youall at UT Jackson School alum events wherever they might be.”
Patricia Wood Dickerson (B.A. ’70, Ph.D. ’95) writes, “I’m in countdown mode as I write this – anticipating explorations by plane, train, boat, bus and boots in Iceland, then in Machu Picchu and the Galapagos (instructing once again for Smithsonian groups). Eager to pursue my evolving hypothesis on Andean archaeological stone work. Midway between the Equator and Husavik (near the Arctic Circle) is the Big Bend, scene of fine late fall field forays with stimulating colleagues and students. Returned to the Solitario and the oldest rocks exposed there – still investigating the ancient bones of Laurentia. Enjoyed the culminating session of paleomagnetic sampling (Sul Ross University master’s study) along Tascotal Mesa fault zone on Alazan Ranch, which was home during my dissertation field research. Many a story was told, refined over time (like the raconteurs!). Here at UT, the senior thesis project on age and origin of deeply buried Proterozoic to Cambrian metamorphic rocks in SW Texas is complete. Both students ably presented their findings at a regional GSA meeting, and our manuscript re the Precambrian study is now taking shape. GeoRef work with favorite folks at AGI and UT continues to be educational and enjoyable. And the musical accompaniment to all this flows from volunteering for Austin Classical Guitar and dancing Argentine tango and blues.”
Abelardo Garza-Hernandez (B.S. ’75) shares, “I continue living in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico, since 1976, married to Carolina, with four children and 8 grandchildren, running my own mining consulting business, providing services to several major and junior mining and mineral exploration companies, as well as being involved in other mining ventures in México.” He can be reached at abgarza@grupogamo.com.
S. Lance Jackson (B.S. ’79) writes, “Still enjoying the work at ExxonMobil, everything from unconventionals to current day deep water. Crossed the 38- year mark in the industry on June 4th, and plan to keep going at for a while longer! I never seem to get tired of searching for oil and gas. On a personal note, the kids are all grown and we now have we have five grandchildren. Time has just flown by.”
Robert Alan Levich (M.A. ’73) currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and can be reached at cpgeologist@gmail.com.
John W. Preston (B.S. ’70) shares, “I retired end of last year and started this year on a retainer for the same company.Still having fun looking for grease in all the wrong places.”
Stephen L. Shaw (B.S. ’71, M.A. ’74) reports, “With Firstview Resources still working oil & gas and water projects, but now from San Angelo area instead of Midland. I helped Dr. Joe Satterfield lead Angelo State University students on a field trip to Balcones Research Center campus and tour the Bureau of Economic Geology. We were warmly greeted and given a very full tour and three technical presentations in our 5 hour visit.” Steve can be reached at sshaw99@yahoo.com.
Bren Sidereas (B.S. ’74) says, “I’m now in my third year of retirement and getting pretty good at keeping up a minimal amount of activity to keep somewhat fit but not stay completely bored. I’m enjoying my 4 grandkids, ages 2-6, all of whom live very near us in the Lake Ray Hubbard area east of Dallas. We’ve been to the Grand Canyon with my son’s family (2 grandsons), and Florida’s Panhandle beaches with my daughter’s family (2 granddaughters) over the last couple of years. Last year my wife and I made it to Cape Town, South Africa for a very memorable and wonderful experience. Just by freak chance when we visited the Mount Rochelle Winery in Franschhoek, my wife exchanged pleasantries with Sir Richard Branson, the winery’s owner (huge highlight picture). Obama doesn’t have anything on her! About the only geology I do now is picking up a few clams and snails out of the Glen Rose Formation when spending a long weekend in the Austin area. The ever beautiful Hill Country of course was where I took my first field geology course in the summer of 1972. Fun fossil hunting, great BBQ & beer and fall Longhorn football — some things don’t change too much.”
Raymond P. Sorenson (M.A. ’75) currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma and can be reached at sorensonrk@sbcglobal.net.
1980s
Fred (B.S. ’83) and Teresa Harkrader Becker (B.S. ’82) share, “We are enjoying retirement here in beautiful Marble Falls. We recently travelled to the Amazon and to Iceland with the Flying Longhorns and are active in our local Highland LakesChapter of the Texas Exes. Would love to hear from any of our classmates!”
Julie Bonner (B.S. ’83) writes, “Retired by choice last year and enjoying it! Hit my 50th country this summer and pondering what I want to be when I grow up!”
Richard Carroll (B.S. ’80) reports, “I am still gainfully employed in the oil and gas industry and working the greater Permian Basin for Caza Petroleum. I can be reached at rcarroll@cazapetro.com.”
Charles Goebel (B.S. ’80) says, “Hanging in there, oil & gas wise. Good news is all three heirs are now UT Austin graduates!”
Gary George Gray (Ph.D. ’85) writes, “I retired from ExxonMobil research in 2013. Have been teaching and advising students at Rice U part time since. The Mexico consulting business has finally picked up, and so I’m getting to do some nice fieldwork with Jim Pindell’s group. Two grandkids in Providence, Rhode Island, and kids on both coasts, so visiting keeps our carbon footprint fairly high! Still located in Bellaire, Texas, so stop by and check out my Bonneville salt flats race car … ”
John Heberling (B.S. ’85) shares, “I have not looked much at comments in recent years. Seemed very distant. But then I received a message from a fellow student back in January. Her messaged changed the course of my life. A line from the movie Appaloosa. ‘Life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens, and the unforeseeable, that which your life becomes.’ So true. Life is good! Hope everyone is well.” John can be reached at johnheberling92@gmail.com.
Christoph Heubeck (M.A. ’88) reports, “I am busy as a professor at the University of Jena in central Germany. My field is General and Historical Geology, so my interests range widely.In the past few years, I have become somewhat of an expert on interpreting extremely old rocks, especially those in the Barberton Greenstone Belt of South Africa and Swaziland.”
Jim Immitt (M.A. ’81) shares, “Pam and I are in Spring, Texas and our children (Adrian and Angela) are enjoying living in Colorado. After a fun and challenging stint generating deep water prospects in the subsalt Miocene of the Gulf of Mexico for ENI, I got caught in the downturn and am in transition again. The twists and turns continue in a career that has included both exploration geoscience and corporate finance. Hello to my fellow Longhorns, and onto the next chapter!” Jim can be reached at jim.immitt@yahoo.com.
Charles Graham Johnson (B.S. ’83) writes, “Three out of college, one a senior at Portland State and also a seventh grader. Ellen and I stay busy keeping up with all of the activities. It hardly seems like 35 years since my UT days. My company just made a major acquisition into the legacy Texas Woodbine at Cayuga Field. Hopefully we can bring our Frio/Yegua operational skills to bear on the Cretaceous. Strong water drives, high permeability and low oil gravity make for high hopes. Maybe oil can get back above $50. I never thought I would be saying that 20 years ago. Something tells me our oil patch won’t look the same 20 years from now.”
Richard Alan Kolb (M.A. ’81) says, “I continue to work as a consulting geologist for a small firm in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina. Iam in my seventh year on the North Carolina Board for the Licensing of Geologists, and in my third year as chair. We recently added a continuing education requirement, 12 hours a year, to maintain one’s license. The many comments from the pubic to the proposed rules change were interesting, with the older licensees often against the requirement and the younger licensees overwhelmingly in favor. I attended the Council of Examiners meeting of the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) in Flagstaff in April, and stopped in Austin for a few days on my way there to visit my kids. Daughter Jennifer will begin her second year of school at the UT School of Social Work this fall, where she’s working on her M.S. degree. Son Travis recently began work at GeoSearch after graduating from Texas State in 2016 with a degree in geography. Austin and Raleigh are quite similar, both being the state capitals and home to several universities, many tech firms, and numerous microbreweries (to the delight of all geologists). I am active in the Carolinas Chapter of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists, and am one of the planners for our second vapor intrusion conference, this time in Charlotte, on October 5 and 6, 2017, with speakers from all over the U.S. We had over 200 attend our first conference in Raleigh in 2014. VI is becoming more and more of an issue in contamination assessments and real estate transactions.”
Bruno Maldonado (B.S. ’82) writes, “Hello fellow Longhorns! I am still involved with the Jackson School of Geoscience’s FANs Board and attending alumni events. It sure is great to see those of you who have attended. I hope to see more of you at future events, so that we can catch up with each other and see how we have aged. I have lots of gray hair and a few wrinkles. I guess living in NW Houston with high humidity has helped keep the number of wrinkles down. As for work, I am still doing a bit of geoscience consulting, mainly overseas in China and Africa. I am hoping to stay closer to home and attempting to get some
gigs in Latin America. Best of luck to all and hope to see you at the SEG conference here in Houston in September … Hook ’em!” Bruno can be reached at bmaldon444@utexas.edu.
Jason Nicholas Moore (B.S. ’84) says, “I now live in a town about an hour south of Austin called Seguin. I have had three books on Soviet Second World War aircraft published in the last two years, and I am finishing up my fifth (the fourth, a book on post-war Soviet strategic bombers should be out this year). I am now a full-time author, with contracts for books up to 2022. That should
keep me busy!”
Marian Morris (B.S. ’81) reports, “I have been working for Statoil since 1996 and still love geophysics! Currently I live north of the Arctic Circle in Harstad, Norway. Please get in touch if you are in town 🙂 There is wonderful hiking, riding, skiing and scuba diving here, never a dull moment! You can email me at marmor@online.no.”
James Mark Null (B.S. ’87) shares, “I currently serve as the Director (Hydrologist-in- Charge) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth, one of 13 such river forecast centers across the nation. I am responsible for ensuring that citizens of Texas, New Mexico, and portions of Colorado and Louisiana, receive timely and accurate river and flood forecast information for the protection of life and property. I have served in numerous leadership positions within the Federal government including the U.S Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office. Prior to mycivilian career, I served as a U.S. Navy Meteorologic and Oceanographic officer retiring at the rank of Commander. Also, I actively involved with the TEXAS EXES and have been recently selected as the President of the Fort Worth Chapter! We have a great group here in Cow Town with many networking and scholarship fund raising activities for our next generation of Longhorns!”
Jerry Schwarzbach (B.A. ’83) says, “Enjoying life in Tyler. My daughter graduates UT in ’18. Seems like yesterday I was there. Great memories! Picture from dig for Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Alberta, Canada summer 1984 with fellow Longhorn Clayton Wilson. Working, flying, raising cattle.”
Scott Simmons (B.S. ’87) reports, “I am still having a great time as the chief standards nerd for the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The work keeps me engaged with plenty of geologists and some of my old pals from the oil and gas industry (and even one of my favorite members of OGC: UT!). Life remains pretty perfect up here in Fort Collins – enjoying the great outdoors and abundant craft beer. I continue to drive my kids nuts by stopping at roadcuts and providing lectures on why the Triassic rocks are so red.”
Margaret Sipple Srinivasan (B.S. ’82) writes, “I’m in my 17th year at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California and my hats include Manager of the JPL Center for Climate Sciences, and Deputy Program Applications Lead for the SWOT, Sentinel-6 and Jason-3 satellite missions. In my spare time (!), I’m getting an M.S. from Johns Hopkins in Environmental Science and Policy. Good times! Cheers to all of my former UT colleagues!”
Stephen W. Speer (M.A. ’83) says, “Life is good. Still kicking and enjoying life with Therese in SC. What could be finer? Cheers to all my fellow UT grad school sojourners, may your life still be filled with joy and wonders … and may your aches and pains be tolerable.”
George Brian Sutherland (B.S. ’84) cur rently resides in The Woodlands, Texas and is President of Kinetic Upstream Technologies, LLC. He can be reached at gbsutherland@utexas.edu.
Bruce Swartz (B.S. ’82) shares, “Sold all my production in late ’16. Starting over with some consulting in both exploration and production. In a few years I hope to quit chasing rigs and just slide logs.” Bruce can be reached at bruce.swartzoil@gmail.com.
Mark C. Walker (B.A. ’81) is now with national law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC, and continues to practice from the El Paso office, for which he acts as managing partner. Among others, Mark is delighted that life and law partner Kathleen Campbell Walker (J.D.’85, former Masked Rider, Rodeo Queen and distinguished alumna of Texas Tech) is also a member of Dickinson Wright. Earlier this year Mark worked with Arkansas Representative Warwick Sabin to pass Arkansas H.B. 1666, an important bill that requires all incoming college students in Arkansas to receive orientation on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. H.B. 1666 follows and expands on Texas S.B. 1624, which Mark helped draft and pass in 2015 in honor of the wonderful memory of his son, Lee Middleton Hooper Walker, who left us in May, 2014. Mark can be reached at mwalker@dickinson-wright.com.
Steve (M.A. ’81) and Kathy Hubby Weiner (B.S. ’83) share, “We were fortunate enough to be able to travel to Italy again this year. We enjoyed our time in Positano and Cinque Terre, among other areas. This beautiful region is part of a Tertiary fold and thrust belt, which left many cliff faces rising from the sea. Steve was pleased to be able to help a number of JSG students with their interviewing skills again this past year, while also serving on the FANS board, and as a judge in the student resume writing contest. Both he and Kathy are happily retired in the Central Texas area.”
Clayton Hill Wilson (B.S. ’83, M.A. ’85) currently resides in Houston, Texas and can be reached at chwilson@exxonmobil.com.
David Laurence Work (B.S. ’84) says, “Recently moved to Deepwater GOM after years of Eagle Ford at Anadarko. Enjoy coming back for UT football and Geo Alumni events, especially getting to do some fossil hunting with wife Lesley (retired XOM geologist) and sons Evan and Henry … thanks to Dr. Sprinkle for the tip! Wishing all the mid 80’s grads well!”
1990s
Darcy (Brooks) Cuthill (B.S. ’93) is currently living and working in Merida, Yucatán, Mexico.
Rimas Gaizutis (B.S. ’91) writes, “Back in Houston working as Petrotechnical Manager Americas for REPSOL. Got to spend some quality time over the past year with fellow geology grad Doug Bowling where we shared a hunting lease. Mike Whittaker was able to join us out there one weeekend as well. Lots of great stories shared around the campfire especially about Field Camp … ” Rimas can be reached at rgaizutis@yahoo.com.
Christi Gell (B.S. ’96) reports, ‘I just started a new job as Associate Director of Technical Sales at IHS Markit. This followed an awesome summer which culminated in an epic geology-focused road trip with my kids through West Texas, eastern New Mexico and Colorado and a week in Breckenridge with all of us. The kids got their first taste of swimming at Balmorhea State Park and seeing the Marfa Mystery Lights. I’ll never forget hyrdo field camp in 1996: I begged Jack Sharp to take us to Marfa to see the lights. He told me if I could convince a TA to drive me then he’d let us go. I begged our TA, James, to drive me to Marfa from Ft. Davis and he graciously said yes, the whole way telling me, “You know, Christi, these probably aren’t real.” But they were, and are! The kids now have been bitten by the West Texas bug and are little rock hounds of course. Charlie, the kids, and I have all been doing karate together for the last 14+ months so don’t mess with the Gells! Drop me a line if you are ever in Houston or want to meet up: christigell@utexas.edu.”
Nikolas A. Hazel (B.A. ’93) says, “2016–2017 exciting year for us with a new baby boy! Now 1 year old! Moved back to Austin, Texas in 2014. Started my own business: Nikolas Alan Fine Jewelry Design. Bought a house in Lakeway a month ago near Lake Travis. Happy to be back in Austin after 14 years in Phoenix Arizona and 2 years in South Florida.”
Sachin Shah (B.S. ’98) is the Chief for Hydrologic Studies and Research at the USGS Texas Water Science Center Gulf Coast Program in Houston, Texas. He has been part of the development a new interactive web application on groundwater level changes and subsidence in the Houston region.
Becky Smyth (M.A. ’95) will be retiring from BEG after more than 20 years and return to private consulting.
Frank ‘Trey’ Wagner (B.S. ’96) shares, “I recently moved with the family from Houston to Anchorage, Alaska. Enjoying the cooler temperatures and hiking in the mountains.”
Hugh Winkler (M.A. ’92) says, “Geophysics this year published my paper, “Geosteering by exact inference on a Bayesian network” which treats geosteering as a probabilistic inverse problem, and shows how to use techniques from machine learning to solve it. The algorithm gives the most likely estimate for the lateral change in geology and the well path. After four years at Drilling Info, I’ve left to found a new company, Factor Technology, which uses that algorithm in a software product that advises directional drillers how best to keep the well path in zone, while drilling.”
2000s
Terra J. George (M.S. ’08) reports, “After 10 years with ConocoPhillips, I accepted a new position as Sr. Staff Geologist at Diamondback Energy. I am currently the asset geologist for the “Brigham” area in the Southern Delaware Basin.” Terra can be reached at tgeorge@diamondbackenergy.com.
Thomas Tydings Thacker, Jr. (B.A. ’08) writes, “My wife, Mary-Alex, and I welcomed our first child, a happy, healthy boy, to the world on March 23, 2017. Thomas Tydings Thacker III. I also launched my own company, Wolfcamp Royalty Partners, LLC, which is a mineral and royalty acquisition fund focused on the Permian Basin. To date, the fund has closed over 75 transactions covering mineral/royalty interests in over 100 producing wells, under 20+ of the premier operators of the Permian Basin, across 7 counties and WRP is continuing to grow.” Thomas can be reached at thomas@3texploration.com.
2010s
Gabriel Aguilar (M.S. ’14) currently works as a Wellsite Geologist in Denver, CO and can be reached at aguilar.gabe7@gmail.com.
Randy Caber (M.S. ’10) says, “I entered the investment banking side of the oil and gas industry in January 2017 and am currently working for Simmons & Company International | Energy Specialists of Piper Jaffray as a Staff Geologist in Houston, Texas. At Simmons, I assist oil and gas firms with acquisitions and divestitures, corporate financing, drillco’s, and other strategy needs by clients. I also recently passed the exams for FINRA 63 and 79 licenses.”
Marcus Chroback (B.S. ’10) writes, “I am enjoying my time on the Jackson School’s FAN’s board. It is so great to see the cutting edge research projects that are always going on at the school. I am looking forward to the alumni tailgate weekend in November, they are always so well attended! Lastly, I transferred from EOG’s San Antonio division to EOG’s Midland division last February. I am very much enjoying my new home!”
Joseph Cleveland (B.S. ’14) shares, “I am currently a 4th year medical student at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. I will be graduating May of 2018 with an Doctorate of Medicine and intend to pursue Medical Residency in Internal Medicine, planning to specialize in Oncology. Although I am not specifically practicing a profession in the Geological Sciences, I am using all of the skills I obtained in the Jackson School on a daily basis to help others. Some of the happiest moments of my educational career and life in general, have been with the Jackson School. The people I came to know on a personal basis in the Jackson School are friendships I cherish to this day, and that I know I will hold close for the rest of my life. I wish all the best to this school and all of the students that are fortunate enough to call it home.” Joseph can be reached at jcleveland@medicine.tamhsc.edu.
Nick Danger (M.S. ’16) says, “I am currently working at SQ Environmental as a project geoscientist and environmental consultant. I am based out of Austin but conduct field work and commercial drone operations across the United States for several multinational corporations. When I have free time, I enjoy hiking, disc golf and van camping in National and State Parks.”
Mackenzie Day (Ph.D. ’17) reports, “I began a NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship with the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle. I plan to continue my study of dunes on Mars with an eye to understand whether dunes could have supported early life.”
Tian Y. Dong (B.S. ’13) says, “After receiving a M.S. in Earth Science at Rice University in 2015, I am continuing as a Ph.D student and expecting to finish in 2019.”
Hector K. Garza (B.S. ’16) is currently a consultant geologist at Premier Oilfield Laboratories in Houston, Texas and can be reached at hector.garza@utexas.edu.
Emma Heitmann (B.S ’16) spent about 5 months in Brazil managing the fieldwork for a cave monitoring project with Corinne Wong, and has now returned to Austin.
Michael Lis (B.S. ’16) says, “I will be attending the University of South Carolina Fall 2017 and getting my Masters in Geology. I can be reached at Michael.lis@utexas.edu.”
Lorena Martinez (B.S. ’16) will pursue a M.S. in biology at Texas State starting next fall.
Frank Morgan (B.S. ’11) writes, “I am working for Devon Energy in Oklahoma City with the Rockies exploration team with focus on the Powder River Basin.” Frank can be reached at frankmo0053@gmail.com.
Alif Musa (B.S. ’16) reports, “I recently landed a job with Halliburton as a technical consultant.”
Rebecca Nunu (B.S. ’16) is starting graduate studies in hydrogeology at UT San Antonio.
Evan Pearson (B.S. ’10) writes, “I’ve enjoyed life as a geologist working for Pinnacle Potash International for six and a half years, but I’m ready to embark on my new adventure – law! Both my school and work experience have inspired me to pursue a career on the legal side of natural resources. I found my path in a roundabout way, but wouldn’t trade any memories from Jackson for a degree in political science. I look forward to what the future brings and I know that the Jackson School has prepared me for whatever my next career brings. Hook ’em!”
Bridget Pettit (B.S. ’15) says, “I recently graduated with my M.S. in Geology from the University of Kansas studying under fellow JSG grad Dr. Mike Blum, and am excited to begin my career as a geologist with ExxonMobil.”
Rania Eldam Pommer (B.S. ’13) shares, “Hello! As you may know, I self-published two STEM-related children’s books in 2016 (MD and Finn Go Camping, and MD and Finn: Solar Power! Both are available on amazon. com!), but 2017 has been a pretty darn exciting year too! I’m working with my illustrator on a potential new MD and Finn project (coming 2018), I’m well on my way into my Ph.D. at Colorado School of Mines, and I recently got hitched to another Jackson School alum – Maxwell Pommer! This year has been good to us so far, and I can’t wait to see where the next one takes us!”
Makoto Sadahiro (M.S. ’14) recently moved to Japan and can be reached at sadahiro@utexas.edu.
Nikki Seymour (M.S. ’15) shares, “Here are Dr. John Singleton and his three advisees doing field work along the Atacama Fault System in northern Chile. All four are JSG alumni! Pictured left to right: Rachel Ruthven (BS 2016, honors advisor Rich Ketcham), John Singleton (Ph.D. 2011, advisor Sharon Mosher), Nikki Seymour (MS 2015, advisor Daniel Stockli) and Evan Strickland (BS 2010, honors advisor Mark Cloos).” Michelle Stocker (Ph.D. ’13) writes, “I accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Paleobiology in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech starting January 2017. I am a Faculty Affiliate in the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech while also holding research positions at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and the Jackson School’s Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at UT Austin. My research group focuses on the evolution of reptiles, and I am looking for curious and driven M.S. and Ph.D. students to apply to my lab for Fall 2018!”
Chak Hau Michael Tso (B.S. ’12) shares, “After getting my BSGEH degree from UT, I moved to University of Arizona for a M.S. in hydrology. Now my wife Elizabeth and I live in the beautiful countryside of Lancaster, United Kingdom, where I am working on a Ph.D. on hydrogeophysics.”
Kristopher James Voorhees (B.S. ’14, M.S. ’16) writes, “I graduated with a Masters from the Jackson School in 2016, where I also received a Bachelor’s degree in 2014. Since graduating from the Masters program, I started my career with Apache Corporation in June 2016 where I completed a rotation for a year with the International New Ventures group. I have since begun my second year rotation in Midland with the Conventional Exploration team working the Midland Basin and am thrilled to be working carbonate rocks again, considering I studied under “the Guadfather” himself, Dr. Charlie Kerans. Since graduating, I have made it a point to travel to new places such as Canada, Thailand, Bali, China, Japan and throughout the central U.S. My next adventure will be over Thanksgiving this year trekking to the base camp of Mount Everest in the Himalayas.” Angela Wu Li (B.A. ’15) writes, “I spent the year after graduation in Austin, working and travelling for Apple Maps. Then the west coast called my name and I’m now in San Francisco working at a startup. Though the beloved 512 will always be home, I will have to say that the hills out here are pretty impressive. Always up for coffee if anyone finds themselves out here studying faults and grains!”
William I (Bill) Woods (retired executive assistant in the
Department of Geological Sciences) shares, “This has been another full year. In March and April, Francisco and I spent 3 weeks in El Salvador visiting family and another week in Big Bend National Park with friends. Both were fun, interesting trips. In June, we traveled to Toronto to visit his sister there. I have taken on a volunteer position at the Heart Hospital of Austin, working at their conceiege desk; I enjoy being around people and helping out. I still go to GRE to work out, MWF. Francisco retired from UT at the end of February, so we have time to travel more and are planning a trip in November to Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. I always enjoy hearing from my GS friends. I can be reached at billw@utexas.edu.”
Professors Emeriti
Robert L. Folk writes, “Semi- Scandaloso Reminiscences from RL Folk: I came south from Penn State to work in Houston for an oil company research lab. After less than a year I decided to teach and do my own style of science. On an errand I stopped by the University of Texas unannounced just as Sam Ellison and Ronald DeFord were taking over the Department and shortly they offered me a prof’s job and $4,200/year. So I began in September 1952 teaching Structural Geology (all four 3-hour labs a week, no TA’s) and Economic Geology. In those “good ole days” one taught wherever the Boss needed to fill in a hole. Thank God he did not need a paleo guy! Next, Sam told me (not asked) to teach summer field camp in torrid East Texas (Bastrop- Smithville-La Grange). Of course I had to say “yes Boss” even though as a carbonate petrographer I knew nothing at all about that kind of field geology – soils, trees, tire traction, etc. But I found that I loved it (and became good at it). Then I got to teach sedimentology and sedimentary petrography – the first class in carbonate petrography in the U.S. In those days one did not have to bring in huge amounts of grant money. Students and I could do research on anything that looked interesting. So we are able to work on sandstones and shales in West Virginia and East Texas, and local Austin limestones or carbonate sands in Yucatan, pebble shapes in the Colorado River and Tahiti, grain size sands on the Texas coast and the red desert of Australia. In 1959 something great happened. Ellison hired Earle F. McBride from Johns Hopkins and we worked together symbiotically on Devonian cherts in Trans-Pecos Texas and Jurassic “deep (shallow?)-water” certs in Italy. When two guys with different ideas work together on the same project you get a very fruitful outcome and make lots of new discoveries. I spent 6 months in Australia (1965) and another 6 months in Milano, Italy (1973) at the invitation of Riccardo Assereto. This was a soul-enriching experience for me, my wife Marjorie and daughter Jenny. Later I greatly enjoyed taking
students there (alternating boy vs. girl – no sexism here!) and most found that very enriching too. Financing by the BEG allowed me to work on travertines with Hank Chafetz. Why work such an unimportant rock? Well it turns out that they were made by “real” bacteria (not algae). This completely changed both of our research foci into the role of bacteria in making all sorts of minerals. Subsequently at Viterbo in 1990 I discovered the minute universe of dwarf forms (nanobacteria) which were later found on the meteorite from Mars. Biologists rushed in to deny it, but this has been my research focus ever since. Right now with Earle McBride I’m studying Fe oxide in sandstones and looking for the inorganic vs. bacteriological origins of those cements.”
William Galloway (M.A. ’68, Ph.D. ’71) reports, “The industry-funded project began more than 20 years ago, the Gulf Basin Depositional Synthesis (better known as GBDS), continues. It has expanded, first to include the Mesozoic, and most recently to encompass the wealth of data now becoming available for Mexico. Though long officially retired, I’ve continued part-time collaboration with the GBDS group at UTIG, and was finally persuaded to co-author a book (in preparation) that will synthesize the Gulf and its geologic history. Travel remains a major past-time, both for leisure and for landscape/wildlife photography. I spend a lot of time in the digital darkroom, working on the images collected over the past 10 years Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and Yellowstone are favorites. Fall foliage most anywhere is a close second.”
Lynton Land writes, “I continue my quest to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality. Meaningful changes in agricultural crop fertilization practices must occur, such as replacing conventional chemical fertilizers with slow-release products. Equally important, sewage sludge, poultry litter and manure disposed cheaply by land application must be limited to supply the phosphorus needs of the crop, but no more. Current permissive regulations favor the waste-producers and guarantee much more nitrogen and phosphorus pollution than is caused by chemical fertilization. Quantitatively meaningless changes, like growing more oysters, must not substitute for changes in crop fertilization practices, as explained in the July 2014 issue of the “Bay Journal” and doi: 10.1007/ s10498-014-9226-y. I grow and sell fertile (diploid) seed oysters. The more oysters the better, they make great meals and are good for the ecosystem. But they can’t solve the Bay’s nutrient overload problem. Since retirement, I have concluded that scientists must actively use their knowledge and positions to contribute toward solving societal problems. Just having fun doing research and herding students, as I did, while ignoring the frustrating political arena, is selfish and unacceptable.”
Ernest Lundelius (B.S. ’50) shares, “Although retired I still go to the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at Pickle Research Campus nearly every day. I am just finishing a long-term study on a Pleistocene cave fauna from Western Australia. We are also involved in a study of a new locality north of Houston that so far has produced the first record for the U.S. of a South American animal, a toxodont. This animal was about the size of a small rhino. I have given several talks about the late Pleistocene fossils from Inner Space Cavern near Georgetown. I also spend a little time trying to keep with three grown grandchildren. I stay busy!”
Earle F. McBride writes, “Just after the first of the year The Rocky Mountain Geology journal published my contributions on the sedimentology, petrography and diagenesis of the Lower Pz clastics that overlie the Precambrian basement in the area between Durango and Silverton, CO. I collected the first samples for this study on Geo 660 in the 1980s. Some projects move very slowly. Stratigraphic and editorial input from Jim Sprinkle was helpful over the years. The allegedly Cambrian Ignacio Quartzite is almost certainly Devonian. Luigi Folk and I have started a study of “ferricrete” (ironoxide- cemented sandstones and conglomerates) in central Texas. At our ages (RLF = 91; EFM = 85) progress is a bit slow!”
James Sprinkle shares, “I’ve been retired as a Professor Emeritus for 4 years now, so I’m not doing any teaching or supervising students, except for serving on one M.S. Committee in 2014-2015. However, I still do research on early echinoderms and Paleozoic marine communities with several co-workers and former graduate students. I usually come in to the Department 3 days a
week and on Sunday afternoons, and go out to the Non-vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory (NPL) at the Pickle Research Center the other 2 weekdays to work on some of my fossil collections and to photograph specimens. 2015 was the last year that I did any extensive field work out in our major fossil collecting areas in Utah and Nevada, but I’ve made several shorter trips up to southern Oklahoma this year to visit fossil collecting localities and other workers up there. During the last 4 years, I’ve published 9 papers or book chapters, 6 abstracts for talks or posters at GSA or other conferences, and a book review. I still have at least 20 additional fossil echinoderm projects that I’ve accumulated over the years that need to be written up before I “really retire”. Our family is doing fine here in Austin and elsewhere. Wife G.K. retired 21/2 years after I did. However, she then got hired to do some consulting work for a client during last spring’s Texas Legislative Session. Son David still lives and works in Austin, so we see
him about once a week to help out with yard work and to keep our computers and electronics working. Daughter Diana, the artist of the family, recently got a full-time job with a graphics company in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved there in April; we see her whenever we talk on the phone.”