On February 19, 2009, MCEE hosted a luncheon in appreciation of a gift from MI-SWACO to refurbish the MPGE drilling fluids lab. Mi-SWACO donated brand new equipment and other teaching resources for the lab, which has been moved into newly refurbished space. The drilling fluids laboratory is used by Dr. Sam Osisanya and Dr. Carl Sondergeld for their undergraduate students. According to Dr. Chandra Rai, Director of MPGE, “It was a pleasant experience working with Mi-SWACO during rebuilding of the laboratory. They made sure that we get the same equipment that a mud engineer will use in the industry. The training in this laboratory will go a long way in keeping with our vision to produce engineering graduates sought among the first by the industry.” Dr. Rai says that in the current environment of rapid technology change, it is imperative that the curriculum and teaching laboratory facilities be changed, too. The latter one requires significant resources that are always a challenge to obtain. He considers this an important opportunity for MPGE and feels fortunate to have this partnership with Mi-SWACO. Dr. Rai explained the drilling fluids undergraduate teaching laboratory “is one such example of industry-university partnership that helps us in providing and teaching the latest technology to students.”

Dr. Sam Osisanya thanked Mi-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.”  Dr. Sam went on to explain that the successful drilling and completion of oil or gas wells depend on selecting the best drilling fluid.  The new Mi-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 spring 2009, stated that this equipment is not available to students at other universities, “It is great, knowing that I have the opportunity to take my unique knowledge out into the industry when I graduate.”  Sudderth thanked Mi-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.

Oklahoma Geological Survey names G. Randy Keller new Director

Although not quite a "new" face, faculty, staff and students gathered in Sarkeys Energy Center on February 27, 2009 to officially congratulate and welcome new Oklahoma Geological Survey Director Dr. G. Randy Keller.  The gathering provided his MCEE colleagues a chance to visit Dr. Keller's new offices and talk with him about plans for Survey activities in the coming years.

Dr. Larry Grillot, MCEE Dean, introduced Dr. Keller and talked about the enthusiastic response from OGS staff and others when Dr. Keller applied for the position.  Keller became interim director in November of 2007, following the retirement of Dr. Charles J. Mankin, who had held the position of director for 40 years.  Dr. Keller stepped in with enthusiasm and a clear direction for the OGS, putting the Survey on track to celebrate its Centennial in November of 2008. Dr. Keller says he began to think about applying for the director's job on more than an interim basis soon after that Centennial look back 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."

"Certainly in the area of seismic research we have many opportunities to expand activities into areas such as ground water studies and enhancement of our seismic network in Oklahoma and the observatory at Leonard," he said. "It's also exciting to be affiliated with the College of Earth and Energy because the Survey's wide range of expertise provides so many opportunities to collaborate on projects across the college and interact with students."

Dr. Keller will also continue as Professor and McCollough Chair in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology & 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 Survey's work will reflect the current needs of Oklahoma and the nation.

Elizabeth Ehrhardt is our newest face in the MCEE Student Services Office.  She joined us in January, 2009, as the new academic counselor.  Originally from Illinois, Elizabeth "Liz" moved to Oklahoma in August 2005 with her five year-old son and husband, who was offered a job here.  Prior to coming to the MCEE, Elizabeth worked as an academic counselor for the College of Education at OU for a little over three years. Prior to moving to OK, Liz worked for about five years as a crisis counselor.  She loved the job, but was ready for a change, so she decided to try academic counseling and knew OU was a wonderful institution.  Asked what made her want to work here, Liz says that she had heard many great things about the College from the advising community.  Now that she's here, she understands why.  "I really love working with students, and being part of the university community is great.  It's easy to stay motivated and excited about your job when you're in that kind of environment.  The students, staff, and faculty I work with are very diverse.  I really have the opportunity to grow and learn here.  I love that we're all working together toward a common goal.  I also love having the opportunity to celebrate students' successes.  I didn't really have that opportunity in crisis counseling.  I like that I can establish long-term working relationships with the students and get to know them as people. This is great place to work!"

Ramadan Ahmed – joined the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering in the fall of 2008 as an assistant professor.  Before coming to the University of Oklahoma, Dr. 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. Dr. Ahmed holds a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway. He has authored more than 30 research and technical articles. Dr. Ahmed is also a member of SPE.

Jeffrey G. Callard is an assistant professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma.  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, Jeff worked for 16 years in E&P and related industry.  He received his degrees in Petroleum Engineering from OU, Stanford and LSU.   Jeff is a member of SPE and has previously published papers on decline curve analysis in its Journal.  He also currently serves as an undergraduate advisor in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.

Dr. 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 is also geared towards understanding, modeling and management of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, enhanced recovery processes, groundwater systems and contaminant transport. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (1998) from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India. From 1998 to 2001, he was engaged in formation evaluation services with Halliburton for clients in Egypt and India. He earned his Ph.D. degree in 2008 and a M.S degree in 2004, both in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Dr. B.J. Shiau is an Assistant Professor in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum & 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, Dr. Shiau worked for Surbec Environmental and U.S.E.P.A.    At MPGE, Dr. Shiau is currently working on novel surfactant systems and chemical flooding for enhancing crude oil recovery.  His recent research interests also include CO2 capture and injection, biosurfactants, nano-technology and applied colloid chemistry for characterizing reservoir conditions and enhancing oil recovery.  Dr. Shiau is a professional engineer and a licensed environmental remediation consultant.   He has published 20 refereed articles and three US patents.

MPGE Faculty and Staff Members Receive Engineering Awards

Prof. Carl Sondergeld and Francey Freeman shown with their plaques.  (L-R) Brian Davis, Kyle Ray, Freeman, Sondergeld, Mark Ballard, Chandra Rai.

Prof. Carl Sondergeld, professor of  petroleum and geological engineering and Associate Dean in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, and Francey Freeman, Coordinator of Undergraduate Student Relations in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering, were honored by the College of Engineering at the 96th Engineers' Week banquet on Saturday, February 21, 2009, in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union at the University of Oklahoma.

The Brandon H. Griffith Outstanding Faculty award was presented to Dr. Sondergeld for excellence in teaching and extraordinary support for students.  Established in 1969 in honor of Prof. Brandon H. Griffith, faculty receiving this award have demonstrated their dedication in making the College of Engineering a world-class institution.

Francey Freeman received the Cherry Griffith award, established in 2005 in honor of Cherry Griffith, who was a devoted student advocate for the College of Engineering. It recognizes extraordinary support for students and for going above and beyond the call of duty in order to help College of Engineering students succeed.

David London, Stubbeman-Drace Presidential Professor and Norman R. Gelphman Professor in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology & Geophysics, recently received the American Mineralogist's Best Paper Award from the Friends of Mineralogy.  The award was presented in absentia at the annual Friends of Mineralogy reception in Tucson on February 14, 2009. 

His article entitled The Barite Roses of Oklahoma has been reprinted from The Mineralogical Record July–August 2008 in the Oklahoma Geological Survey's Information Series 13.  The Mineralogical Record is the premier journal of mineralogy for amateur scientists and collectors.  Papers are chosen on the basis of impact, scientific content, innovation/originality, organization and readability.  In his article, London provides answers to many of the questions surrounding barite roses (Suneson, OGS).  

Dr. London was born and raised in Ardmore, Oklahoma.  He received his BA from Wesleyan University (Connecticut) in 1975 and his MS and PhD from Arizona State University in 1979 and 1981, respectively.  He spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory in Washington, D.C., before joining the OU faculty in 1983.  Most of London's research pertains to the origins and chemical evolution of felsmic magmas that solidify as granites, rhyolites and pegmatites.  In addition to his research, London teaches a number of graduate and undergraduate courses.

"Friends of Mineralogy make a $1K donation annually to the publishers of The Mineralogical Record and to the Rocks and Minerals Magazine for the best article of the year published by each journal.  For more information on the Friends of Mineralogy, visit them at http://www.friendsofmineralogy.org/.

London nominated for MSA Distinguished Lecture Series
London has also 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: Nature's "Fancy" Rocks, and The Experimental Foundations of Igneous Petrology.  For more on the program, see:  http://minsocam.org/MSA/Lecture_Prog.html

Adrianne Fox, Account and Budget Representative in the ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics, was awarded the Hourly Employee Council's Distinguished Service Award in a ceremony held on April 22, 2009, in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Ballroom.  According to her boss, R. D. Elmore, Director of CPSGG, "this award is well deserved."  When asked how she felt when she found out, Adrianne said she thought it was a mistake!  Not according to Nancy Leonard and Doug Elmore, her supervisors.  "Adrianne does an outstanding job."  She has been praised by faculty for her efficiency and pleasant and professional manner.  Even the students admire her and seek her advice when problems arise.  She volunteers with "extra" student activities and has been called upon by other departments to assist them with problems.  In addition to these qualities, Adrianne is also an active volunteer in her community, working at the polling booth and helping with Sunday school at her church.   She is an officer for the Norman Area Quilters Guild, an organization that makes quilts for agencies such Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI).  Adrianne first started at the University in 2005 before joining the CPSGG staff in October 2006.  When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her job, Adrianne says, "I really do love my job and try my best everyday to give at least 8 hours of work."

On April 22, 2009, staff members in the Dean's Office, the Oklahoma Geological Survey and the ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics were recognized for their years of service to the University at the 46th Annual Staff Senate Awards Ceremony.  Those members are:

30 Years  
Constance White, Manager, Administration & Operations, Dean's Office

20 Years  
Jonathan Allen, Equipment Operations Maintenance V, CPSGG; Tammie Creel, Account & Budget Representative III, OGS;
Teresa Hackney, Staff Assistant III, CPSGG

Reflections on attending the Presidential Inauguration

We asked for stories and you shared them.

Linda Goeringer, MCEE Student Services Coordinator, and Gwendolyn Henry-Fields, an undergraduate student in MPGE (2010), were among the lucky people to get tickets to attend the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2009.  Goeringer recounts that even though it was cold and crowded, it was an experience to have been there with the large crowds . . .

Goeringer and Robert Knox attending presidential inauguration in January 2009.

"On Tuesday, January 20th, 2009, I witnessed history. I had the privilege of attending the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. This was an experience that I will never forget. Yes, it was cold, and yes, it was crowded, but we were well prepared and knew that being flexible was important. Even with the large crowds, there was a sense of peacefulness and everyone seemed to share the same feeling that being there was what was important. We actually booked our flights and made our room reservations before election day. Once we arrived, we rode the metro everywhere. There was an excitement in the air, with American flags flying and red, white and blue bunting everywhere. Washington D.C. is such an incredible city and I am proud that it is our Nation's capital. Having the opportunity to watch democracy in action gives me a strong sense of patriotism."

Henry-Fields says attending the historical inauguration was a"family event" for them.  Accompanied by her son and nephew, they made the journey to stay with an Aunt who lives in the D.C. area where they were joined by other relatives from California. Says Henry-Fields . . .

At the Inaugural Ball (picture courtesy of Henry-Fields) Henry-Fields received the surprise of her life when her aunt presented her and her cousin with tickets to the Western Ball, where Marc Anthony performed and Jennifer Lopez made a surprise appearance.  The surprise didn't stop there.  As Henry-Fields was standing near the front of the crowd, a camera man swooped down and pulled her onto the podium.  From that vantage point, she got a close-up and personal view of the First Couple through the eyes of the camera's lenses.  Henry-Fields sums up her experience in one word . . . "Wow! I am a 42 year old African American woman, and I never thought I would see an African American President of the United States in my lifetime."