Directors of the Bureau: Scott Tinker

Besides his role as Bureau director, Tinker is also a professor in the Department of Geological Sciences, where he holds the Edwin Allday Endowed Chair in Subsurface Geology. He served as president of the Association of American State Geologists (AASG) in 2006–07 and was elected president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) to serve the 2007–08 term.

He received the Distinguished Service Award from AAPG in 2005 and was likewise honored by the West Texas Geological Society in 2002. Tinker toured as the AAPG International Distinguished Ethics Lecturer in 2005–06 and as Distinguished Lecturer in 1997–98; he was also the Society of Petroleum Engineers Distinguished Lecturer in 2002–03. He serves on the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems of the National Research Council of the National Academies.

A highly sought speaker, Tinker has made science accessible to audiences of all ages—from kindergarteners to senior citizens—as well as challenging his colleagues to push the limits of innovative research. His recent roles as president of AAPG and AASG have given him the authority and opportunity to do one of the things he does best: build bridges (using one of his favorite metaphors) to understanding current geological problems facing the world and, in fact, being the bridge to forge a common purpose to solve these problems and leave the planet in better shape for the next generations.

Tinker has extended the reach of the Bureau to engage decision makers involved in natural resource issues and has organized field trips and workshops to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of information. He has also been a leader in supporting K–12 education, helping Earth Science Week organizers host career fairs and bring programs to students who might not otherwise enjoy these opportunities.

At the industry level, Tinker has strengthened the Industrial Associates programs, and more than 70 companies worldwide now sponsor Bureau research. He himself conceived and led development of the Advanced Energy Consortium in 2004, which opened its doors in 2008 as a 10-company, $30 million alliance committed to developing advanced micro- and nano-scale subsurface sensors to boost production of oil and gas. Other major sponsored research programs have included PEMEX, Petrobras, and Saudi Aramco. Tinker led the state’s FutureGen technical team to respond to a U.S. Department of Energy proposal to build a prototype clean coal plant. Although the government suspended the effort, the Texas proposal advanced two sites to the finalists. The Governor’s Office and the Railroad Commission continue to draw on Tinker’s leadership and the Bureau’s scientific strength to advance the state’s position for future clean coal and carbon sequestration opportunities.

Tinker has also strategically expanded the Bureau’s facilities and strengths during his tenure. He helped establish the Houston Research Center through a major facility donation from BP supplemented by private donations and federal funds. He also negotiated the affiliation of the Center for Energy Economics with the Bureau. Under Tinker’s watch, the Bureau’s operating budget has tripled in a decade, international diversity in the research ranks has grown substantially, the percentage of women scientists has doubled, and hard and long-term funding has grown substantially.

At the core of Tinker’s commitment is a loyalty to the Bureau as a family. When he became the Bureau’s eighth director in 2000, Tinker embraced the foundation upon which the oldest organized research unit at The University of Texas at Austin was built: “Within the Bureau home for nearly a century has lived a diverse, proud family, rich in a history that tells a story of strong patriarchs, dedicated aunts, quirky uncles, tragedy, triumph, conflict, perseverance, tradition, and loyalty.” Now, nearly a decade later, Tinker continues to lead this unique family. He has set the bar high: “If we maintain ethics in our approach, quality in our results, pride in our science, laughter in our halls, and an eye on ‘new horizons,’ then the Bureau family will flourish in the new millennium.”