BEG Shale Play Study Research Team
Svetlana Ikonnikova, Co-Principal Investigator, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin
Svetlana Ikonnikova (svetlana.ikonnikova@beg.utexas.edu) is a research associate and energy economist managing engineering, statistical, and economic analysis for the TORA consortium at the Bureau. She holds an MS (2003) in applied mathematics and physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and a PhD (2007) in economics from Humboldt University of Berlin.
Scott W. Tinker, Co-Principal Investigator, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin
Scott W. Tinker is the director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, the State Geologist of Texas, and holds the Allday Endowed Chair and is acting Associate Dean of Research in the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University. He spent 17 years in the oil and gas industry before joining UT in 2000. He is past president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Association of American State Geologists, and the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies. He is a Geological Society of America Fellow and holds appointments on the National Petroleum Council and Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, among other boards. Tinker holds a PhD in geological sciences from the University of Colorado, an MS in geological sciences from the University of Michigan, and a BS in geology and business administration from Trinity University.
Gürcan Gülen, Economic and Statistical Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Gürcan Gülen is a research associate and energy economist at the Bureau's Center for Energy Economics in Houston. He is a member of the United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE), the Society of Petroleum Engineers, The American Economic Association and the Gulf Coast Power Association. He holds a PhD (1996) in economics from Boston College, and a BA (1990) in economics from Bosphorus University in Istanbul.
Bridget R. Scanlon, Water Analysis, The University of Texas at Austin
Bridget Scanlon is a senior research scientist at the Bureau with 30 years’ experience in research related to water and linkages to energy. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. She has a PhD in geology from the University of Kentucky.
Robin Dommisse, University of Texas at Austin
Robin Dommisse is a 3D geological modeler at the Bureau, joining in 2016 after having served for 16 years as the CEO of Austin GeoModeling Inc. - a company that pioneered 3D geological interpretation software, from which he retired following the successful merger with a larger service company in 2015. Robin learned how to build 3D models at the Bureau in 1989 and spent the next 25 years modeling oil & gas reservoirs, including some of the world's largest fields. He holds a Propaedeuse in Geology from the Free University of Amsterdam and a B.Sc. in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Michael Marder, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin
Michael Marder is Professor of Physics at the University of Texas at Austin. He has an AB in physics from Cornell and a PhD from UC Santa Barbara. He has worked on the physics of fracture for many years and also on a wide variety of problems involving pattern formation and nonlinear dynamics. He is the author of a graduate textbook on Condensed Matter Physics. He is also Executive Director of the UTeach Science Program.
William Fisher, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
William L. Fisher holds the Barrow Chair of Mineral Resources and is a professor in the department of geological sciences, University of Texas at Austin. He formerly served as director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, director of the Geology Foundation, and dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences, all of the University of Texas at Austin. Fisher holds a BS and DSc (Hon.) from Southern Illinois University, an MS and PhD in geology from the University of Kansas, a Deng (Hon.) from the Colorado School of Mines, and received the Presidential Citation (equivalent to an honorary doctorate) from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ken Medlock III, Economic and Statistical Analysis, Rice University
Kenneth B. Medlock III (medlock@rice.edu) is the James A. Baker III and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, and senior director of the Baker Institute's Center for Energy Studies, at Rice University in Houston. He is also vice-president of academic affairs for the USAEE. Medlock holds a PhD (2000) in economics from Rice University.
Amin Gherabati, Engineering Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Amin Gherabati joined the Bureau as a Research Scientist Associate –Reservoir Engineer. He received his Ph.D. (2013) in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University where he researched waterflood monitoring and performance optimization. He holds a Master's degree (2007) in Chemical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, and a Bachelor's degree (2005) in Petroleum Engineering from the Petroleum University of Technology, Ahwaz, Iran.
Guin McDaid, ArcGIS Specialist, University of Texas at Austin
Guin McDaid is a research associate with the Bureau of Economic Geology specializing in geospatial science and cartographic design. She graduated in 2013 with a Master of Science in Geography and Bachelor of Science (2011) in Anthropology and Geography from Texas State University.
Katie Smye, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Katie Smye is a research associate at the Bureau, after joining as a postdoctoral fellow in 2013. She received a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Cambridge, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology and Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma.
Xinya Zhang, Statistical Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Xinya Zhang is a post-doctoral fellow at the Bureau's Center for Energy Economics in Houston. She is a member of the United States Association of Energy Economics (USAEE) and American Economic Association (AEA). Zhang holds a PhD (2013) in economics from Rice University, and a BA (2006) in finance from Peking University in China.
Scott Hamlin, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Scott Hamlin is a Research Scientist with the Bureau specializing in subsurface stratigraphy, petroleum geology, and hydrogeology. He holds PhD, MA, and BA degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.
Contributing Researchers No Longer Active in This Program
John Browning, Engineering and Economic Analysis, The University of Texas at Austin
John Browning has been a senior research fellow at the Bureau since 2010, having retired from ExxonMobil after 33 years. He holds a BS (1977) in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee.
Ursula Hammes, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Ursula Hammes is a Research Scientist with the Bureau specializing in mudrock and carbonate sedimentology and stratigraphy and geologic analyses of shale basins. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Diploma (MS) from the University of Erlangen, Germany.
Allen Hwang, Student, Economic and Statistical Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Allen Hwang is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Bureau and a Master's of Science Candidate from the Jackson School of Geosciences. He holds a BS (2005) in biochemistry from the University of California Los Angeles.
Ryan Idzior, Student, Geological Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Ryan Idzior is a graduate student research assistant at the Bureau of Economic Geology. His current focus is on quantifying hydrocarbon reserves in the Bakken Shale. He received a B.A. in economics from The University of Michigan, a B.S. in geology from The University of Houston, and a J.D. from The Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University.
Casee Lemons, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Casee Lemons is a research associate at the Bureau of Economic Geology. She spent three years specializing in production optimization and data mining at Baker Hughes, and a previous three years performing environmental remediation and ecological research for the National Science Foundation. She is active in the Houston Geological Society and was awarded its 2014-2015 Rising Star Award. Lemons holds an MS in geological sciences from Baylor University and BS in geological sciences from the University of Arkansas.
Frank Male, Engineering Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Frank Male is a graduate student in the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining the university in 2010, he worked with the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Gottingen, Germany, as a computational microfluidics researcher. Male holds a BS in physics and BA (2009) in political science from Kansas State University.
Eduardo J. Meneses-Scherrer, Engineering and Economic Analysis, The University of Texas at Austin.
Eduardo J. Meneses-Scherrer is a Master's of Science Candidate in the Jackson School of Geosciences. Prior to joining the University in 2013, he worked as Project Control Engineer at the Cantarell Project and the petrochemical complex “La Cangrejera” in southeast Mexico. Eduardo holds a BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Santa Fe, in Mexico City.
Eric Potter, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
Eric Potter is program director for energy research at the Bureau, joining in 2001 after 25 years with Marathon Oil Co. as an exploration geologist and as geoscience technology manager at Marathon's technology center in Denver. He holds a BA (1972) in earth science from Dartmouth College and an MS (1975) in geology from Oregon State University.
James Shultz, Student, Geologic Analysis, University of Texas at Austin
As a recent graduate of Trinity University, James is an engaged member of the subsurface team while also pursuing a Master’s of Science through the Jackson School of Geoscience.
Livia Silvia
Emilian Vankov, Department of Statistics, Rice University
Emilian Vankov is currently a Ph.D. student in the Statistics Department at Rice University and a Graduate Fellow at the Baker Institute's Center for Energy Studies. Emilian has served as a consultant to the market risk team at BP North America, and has developed various applications and tools for statistical analysis and risk management. He holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Berea College.
Questions? Contact Mark Blount
