Dr. Tinker currently serves as Acting Associate Dean for Research in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. In this role he works with the Dean and University administration to manage issues related to research in the Jackson School. Scott serves on the Jackson School’s Executive Committee and Strategic Planning Council. He also serves on UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering’s Strategic Planning Committee, and he serves as ex-officio member of UT’s Energy Institute’s Advisory Council. In 2002-2003, Dr. Tinker was selected as a member of The University President’s Committee of the Commission of 125, which resulted in strategic guidance for the university for the coming 25 years.

Scott believes strongly in service and is a member of 12 professional societies and serves on countless committees. Since 1982, Dr. Tinker has been an active member and leader in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), which has a membership roster of 35,000 professionals globally. He was elected President of AAPG in 2009-2010 and had the honor to serve as Distinguished Lecturer in 1997 and Distinguished Ethics Lecturer in 2003. Also since 1982, Dr. Tinker has been a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer from 2002 through 2003.

Since becoming the State Geologist of Texas in 2000, Dr. Tinker has been a member of the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), serving as its president in 2007-2008. The AASG comprises the chief executives of geologic societies from each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico. Scott is a member of the Austin Geological Society and served as president in 2002. He is currently President-Elect of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies.

Policy and Government: Dr. Tinker’s involvement in government policy spans local, state, federal, and international venues. In 2007 Dr. Tinker was appointed by the Governor of Texas to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. In 2006 the U.S. Secretary of Energy appointed him to serve on the National Petroleum Council (NPC). Scott currently serves on the NPC’s Committee on Resource Development. From 2003 to 2009, Scott also served on The National Academies, National Research Council’s Board of Energy and Environmental Systems. He has also served as the Director of the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) as head of the Texas Regional Lead Organization since 2000.

Dr. Tinker has testified several times before Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives. He often provides briefings to Senate and House staff, most recently giving a Clean Energy Briefing for Senate staffers in May 2011. In March 2010, he testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and in March 2009 he participated in a staff briefing for the U.S. House.

As State Geologist, Scott has held several positions of leadership in service to the State of Texas. He was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Texas to serve on the Oil Field Cleanup Fund Advisory Committee, where he has served since 2001. Scott was tapped in 2005 to lead the technical team striving to bring FutureGen to Texas. After 2 years, Texas placed its two sites into the final four of the national competition.

Boards and Foundations: Dr. Tinker has served on several professional and private boards. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Brigham Exploration Company and on the BP Technical Advisory Council.

In academia, Dr. Tinker serves on advisory boards for the Department of Geosciences at the University of Michigan and the Indiana University geologic field station, and on Trinity University’s Board of Visitors.

Dr. Tinker is a trustee of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation, a trustee of the American Geological Institute, and a trustee of the Association of American State Geologists Foundation. He enjoys giving of his time and investing his resources in organizations that better the profession and society.

Dr. Tinker is a Certified Professional Geologist and a Certified Petroleum Geologist.