2025 GeoVista BOONE PICKENS SCHOOL OF GEOLOGY College of Arts and Sciences
2 Index Index.......................................... 2 LetterFromtheInterimHead.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Message from Alumni President.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 BPSoGBytheNumbers..........................5 WaterResearchers..............................6 Connecting Students to Water Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 NGWAUniversity................................8 GeochemBoat..................................8 GeoREx.......................................9 StaffNews.................................... 10 FacultyNews...................................11 AdjunctFaculty................................20 SpecialRecognition............................ 21 JimPuckette..................................22 Field Camp Marks 75th Anniversary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 UndergraduateSpotlight.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 GraduateSpotlight.............................25 RecentGraduateSpotlight.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Graduates.....................................27 Remembering Dr Mohamed Gamal Abdelsalam.. . . . 28 StudentScholarshipList.........................30 BanquetLastYear.............................. 31 spring.2025
3 Interim Head LETTER FROM THE An Interim Word This is definitely a change year at the Boone Pickens School of Geology. We have three new professors that have joined the faculty and have two fewer from last year. Dr. Chen is an assistant professor and petrophysical researcher who is setting up a rock fracture laboratory. Dr. Ford is a new teaching assistant professor (TAP) who is focused on introductory classes and online content. Dr. Katumwehe is a field geophysicist who will be working with potential fields. Come join them at our banquet on Saturday, May 3rd. Our buildings are also getting changes. The Devon Lab at NRC was updated thanks to Devon and the other side of our basement was updated thanks to a freezing of the fire control system flooding that side of the building. Field camp is having updates occurring and planned to bring it to the future. Additionally, the university is supporting an update of our rock preparation facilities at the Hazardous Reaction Laboratory to increase safety and capabilities. Our students are doing great things as usual. We have a huge freshman class who are a lot of fun and are already doing research with several professors. The graduate students are getting offers a year in advance from a range of opportunities, so if you need a new employee, get them in advance! We expect field camp to grow a bit this year as we are heading out of the Covid effect on student progression from the programs nationwide. Stop by Cañon City and say hello if you are out that way this summer. Hope to see you all at the Banquet, Todd Halihan Professor and Interim Head Sun Company Clyde Wheeler Chair in Hydrogeology Boone Pickens School of Geology, OSU
4 Message from Alumni President Greetings, Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Students, and Friends, The Boone Pickens School of Geology (BPSOG) has had a long history of geoscience excellence dating back over eight decades when Oklahoma A&M first had its start as a Land Grant University. The BPSOG Geology Alumni Advisory Board was formed 20 years ago by a small group of faithful and passionate alumni who loved the OSU Department of Geology and what it meant to them in their personal and professional lives. It was formed to come along side and advise the faculty and administration, and to be a useful resource and sounding board. It has grown over the years with the addition of many graduates and friends of the Boone Pickens School of Geology. The primary mission of the Alumni Advisory Board has been to help mentor students and introduce them to professional organizations and provide network contacts in industry, academia, and government for career development; advocate, encourage, and promote hiring of students; assist with fundraising efforts for the Department; maintain camaraderie and community across students, faculty, alumni and friends; advise of changing trends in industry, perceptions and policies; and advise and assist on issues and advocate for the BPSOG in the general public. The BPSOG Alumni Advisory Board, together with the faculty, have developed and maintained a long-term strategic plan to facilitate identification of future needs of students, faculty, alumni and other identified stakeholders, and to assist with options for satisfying those needs. This evergreen document is meant to be utilized for the advancement of the school and alignment of its future. The vision, mission, and goals of the Alumni Advisory Board include: • The Boone Pickens School of Geology shall be a leading academic institution in the fields of petroleum, energy and environmental geosciences and geophysics. • To grow our national and international reputation in geoscience research and education and become a leader in the 21st century through scholarship, research, student learning/success, and alumni engagement. • To make a positive impact upon Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through an integrated understanding of the Earth, particularly in the fields of petroleum, energy and environmental geosciences and geophysics. • To provide students with the highest quality education while conducting basic and applied interdisciplinary research that will prepare them as leaders to meet the global challenges of tomorrow and to expand the frontiers of geosciences. • In addition, to engage diverse students, faculty, and staff with industry and government to deliver excellence in advanced learning, leadership, relevant and innovative research, and benefits to society in the broader field of the geosciences. The BPSOG’s future is bright due to the innovation, and determination of so many who love and support the ongoing vision anchored in the rich history and camaraderie of strong, dedicated, and faithful alumni, faculty, staff, and students. All the best and onward! GO POKES! Mike Kuykendall Chairman (2024 -2025) Boone Pickens School of Geology Alumni Advisory Board Oklahoma State University spring.2025
5 BPSoG By the Numbers spring.2025
6 Water Researchers Water management, access and treatment are key to the work Boone Pickens School of Geology faculty are doing to ensure communities have the resources to nourish the world for years to come. Dr. Todd Halihan, for example, has been conducting water research within the geosciences at OSU since 2000. His work centers on Earth’s subsurface, which is then applied to address groundwater issues. “If you’re really going to understand the subsurface, you need to know where [water] is going in, how it’s moving through and how it’s coming out because along the way, the water is going to undergo chemical, biological and physical changes,” Halihan said. “Sometimes those lead to good outcomes and sometimes bad outcomes.” In September 2023, Halihan was awarded $2 million from the Environmental Protection Agency to study the use and risks of enhanced aquifer recharge (EAR). Halihan and a team of researchers from OSU, the Oka’ Institute at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, and Texas State University in San Marcos are using EAR to improve groundwater availability and quality. College of Arts and Sciences Director of Outreach and BPSoG assistant professor Dr. Caitlin Barnes is also doing her part to improve groundwater access. She worked with Halihan, her CAS Outreach colleagues and the National Ground Water Association to head up NGWA University Powered by OSU. Now in its sixth year, NGWAU has provided training to new and continuing groundwater professionals in 24 states and six countries. Complementing the NGWAU workforce development program is Awesome Aquifer 360, a K-12 outreach program aimed at instilling an interest in earth sciences in the classroom. It has reached 387 schools, 42 states and more than 40,000 students. “If we don’t have people filling these positions, we’re going to lose a foundational infrastructure across the nation that helps us access clean water,” Barnes said. “We’ve been accessing water for a very long time, and it is shocking that we could lose that knowledge because no one is paying attention to how we get water from point A to point B.” Providing Training to Nourish the World spring.2025
7 Connecting Students to Water Science Water is one of our most valuable resources, and understanding its role in the environment is critical for future scientists, policymakers, and communities. That’s where the Water Research, Assessment, and Networking Ecosystem (WRANE) program steps in. Funded by an NSF GEOPAths grant, WRANE is an innovative, informal geoscience education initiative designed to introduce high school and community college students—especially those from underrepresented and under-resourced backgrounds—to the world of geoscience through hands-on experiences, citizen science projects, and virtual networking opportunities. During the 2023-2024 school year, WRANE faculty members, including Drs. Quan, Burkett and Lauren Haygood, worked closely with participating high school teachers to engage students in water research and geoscience topics. One of the highlights of the year was a visit from Aztec High School students to Oklahoma State University, where they had the unique opportunity to tour the OSU Microscopy Facility and use a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)—an experience that provided an up-close look at the microscopic world of water-related materials and contaminants. To accommodate the busy schedules of participating schools, WRANE also hosted a virtual symposium through Canvas, where students and teachers could access faculty-led video presentations and engage in discussions about their projects. The online format fostered collaboration across different schools, allowing students to exchange ideas and share findings on a common platform. Through a Canvas discussion board, participants contributed insights, asked questions, and expanded their understanding of water science together. WRANE is about empowering students with knowledge and experiences that connect them to geoscience in ways that feel relevant and accessible. Whether through hands-on laboratory visits, virtual learning experiences, or citizen science projects, WRANE is building pathways for the next generation of geoscientists. As we wrap up the WRANE funding from NSF, we look ahead with the ambition to continue providing even more students with the opportunity to explore water research and geoscience careers. The WRANE Program’s Impact in 2023-2024 Logo Option 1 spring.2025
8 NGWA University NGWA University (NGWAU) Powered by OSU is dedicated to training future groundwater professionals and upskilling the workforce. Industry support has helped NGWAU build a strong foundation in education and professional training. Expanding Groundwater Education NGWAU’s programs have reached 318 schools in 42 states, supporting 411 teachers and educating approximately 61,650 students. Sponsored classrooms receive kits, posters, and a year of free digital access to AA360. Professional Development NGWAU offers 18 non-credit courses, 13 of which are open for enrollment, with nine available in Spanish. With 798 enrollments and 374 completed courses, NGWAU has issued 414 micro-credentials to professionals across 31 states and six countries. Raising Awareness To address workforce shortages, NGWAU launched the national PSA “Don’t Take Clean Water for Granted” in Geochem Boat Supported by Battelle, we carried out a three-day Lake Research and Science (LakeRS) education camp in JulyAugust 2024. The main objective was to provide aquatic research and science opportunities for high school students to collect and analyze samples from a nearby lake. The overall goal was to expose high school students to the fields of geosciences and environmental sciences and the applied technologies and instruments involved, and to increase awareness of students of the importance of these science areas to the Oklahoman public. The camp was successfully conducted as planned by the BPSoG faculty and with assistance from BPSoG students and staff. Over two days at Lake Carl Blackwell, high school students collected lake samples, alternating between sampling from a boat and along the shoreline. On the boat, they gathered water column, plankton, and sediment samples, while shoreline sampling involved water and sediment core collection. Students analyzed samples onsite, learning about sample preparation and preservation. On the third day, students conducted further analysis at OSU laboratories, using geochemical instruments and microscopes to study their samples. They tested geochemical composition, such as pH and total dissolved solids, and examined macro-organisms. Their hands-on involvement fostered curiosity and motivation. Additionally, students visited the OSU’s Microscope facility to explore high-tech microscopy, including Scanning Electron Microscopy, and they toured the Gary Stewart core research facilities to study deep subsurface sediment cores with Prof. Jim Puckette. February 2024. Airing on CNN, HGTV, TNT, and more, it has reached nearly 57 million viewers, with an advertising value of $1.75 million. The campaign’s website has been visited by audiences from 46 states and 26 countries, with the careers page as the top destination. Learn more and watch the PSA at groundwater.okstate.edu. spring.2025
9 Geo REx The Boone Pickens School of Geology (BPSoG) hosted the GEO-REx (Geoscience Educational Opportunity–Research Experience) camp again this last summer. Ten high school students participated in this hands-on academic experience, exploring geoscience through field trips, lab work, and mini-research projects. Students kicked off the week with teambuilding activities and a campus scavenger hunt highlighting geologic features. Day two featured a field trip with Dr. Brandon Spencer, where students explored geologic features along the Cimarron River. Workshops in environmental geoscience, geophysics, and geology provided foundational knowledge for student-led research projects. On Day 3 the campers undertook smallgroup research projects under the guidance of BPSoG faculty and graduate students where participants developed hypotheses, collected and analyzed samples, and presented their findings. Projects included measuring heavy metals in soils, near surface geophysics using ground penetrating radar, LIDAR mapping, surface water geochemistry, and picking foraminifera microfossils. The final day began with a career panel where students learned about careers in the geoscienes. The camp concluded with participants presenting the findings of their research projects to family and faculty. Student presentations, prepared the night before, gave excellent overviews of their work and demonstrated a strong understanding of their research. The BPSoG would like to thank the Alumni and the career professionals who made this camp possible with their funding and support! spring.2025
10 The Boone Pickens School of Geology relies heavily on our exceptional staff members, who are vital to the daily operations and overall success of our department. Their dedication, expertise, and hard work ensure that everything — from routine logistics to major research initiatives — runs smoothly. • MRS. SANDY EARLS, Administrative Associate, is central to the financial and operational health of the department, managing travel reimbursements, coordinating purchasing and accounting, maintaining departmental budgets, and ensuring compliance with university policies. • DR. BROOKE EQUINOX, Sr. Academic Advisor I, plays a crucial role in supporting our students, offering academic guidance, helping them navigate course selections, and ensuring they stay on track toward graduation. • MR. BLAKE KIRBY, Geochemistry Senior Research Specialist, provides essential technical expertise, maintaining and operating geochemistry lab equipment critical to research efforts across the department. • MS. JENNIFER KOCH, Administrative Specialist I, is the organizational backbone, helping coordinate course scheduling, manage communications, facilitate departmental safety training, process administrative paperwork, and facilitate day-to-day office operations. • MR. TIM SICKBERT, Devon Lab Coordinator, keeps our laboratories running efficiently, overseeing equipment maintenance, assisting with computer support, and ensuring quality poster printing for every scientific meeting. • MRS. BABITA XAVIER, Administrative Support Assistant, is often the first point of contact for students, visitors, and faculty, providing information, directing inquiries, and supporting the administrative flow essential for departmental success. Collectively, our staff handle a broad range of responsibilities—from answering calls and assisting students with registration to coordinating international research travel, scheduling classes, maintaining laboratory safety, supporting recruiting efforts at national meetings, and ensuring that both faculty and students have the resources they need to excel. Their contributions keep the Boone Pickens School of Geology operating like a well-oiled machine. We could not achieve our educational, research, and outreach goals without their tireless efforts and commitment to our department’s success. Staff News Left to Right: Front row - Sandy Earls, Babita Xavier, Jennifer Koch Back row - Blake Kirby, Tim Sickbert spring.2025
11 Greetings, BPSoG friends! I’m Xiaofeng Chen, Assistant Professor since Fall 2024. I use experimental and microscopic techniques to study rock deformation and micro-mechanisms. My group focuses on rock friction, earthquake physics, fracture mechanics, and subsurface reservoir simulations for petroleum and energy transition. I am establishing my rock mechanics labs, and three triaxial apparatuses will be available in Fall 2025. I have been working on several proposals for geothermal energy and was impressed by the great work of my colleagues here and the research support team from the college. Two graduate students are coming in Fall 2025, and I am excited to kick off the new rock mechanics group at OSU. I taught Geology and Human Affairs in Fall 2024, which was a great experience interacting with dynamic students and improving my teaching skills. I will be teaching Rock Fractures in Fall 2025 and Experimental Rock Deformation in Fall 2026. This year, I remained dedicated to teaching, research, and service. I taught multiple courses, including GEOL 1003: The Story of Dinosaurs, Evolution of the Earth, and Paleontology, earning outstanding student evaluations and peer reviews. My mentorship extended to my research lab, which currently includes three PhD students, three MS students, and four undergraduates—two of whom transitioned into the MS program in Fall 2024. As we approach 2025, we anticipate graduating several students and are actively recruiting to maintain strong research momentum. Research efforts led to one publication, with three more in review or accepted, along with multiple conference presentations. I submitted two NSF proposals, including a PETM-focused collaboration. Additionally, I visited the Smithsonian Museum and spent a day as a scientist on display, photographing type specimens for the bforams@mikrotax database. Looking ahead, we aim to return to sea on an expedition off Greenland, furthering our investigations into paleoceanography and foraminiferal ecology. Faculty News DR. ASHLEY BURKETT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Micropaleontology, Biostratigraphy and Climate DR. XIAOFENG CHEN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Structural Geology, Geomechanics spring.2025
12 This past year has been a big one for me! In March I was hired to join the full-time faculty as a Teaching Assistant Professor for online education. My primary teaching responsibilities are the service level courses (Geology and Human Affairs, Physical Geology, Evolution of the Earth) where I get to interact with the non-geology student body and spread the good word of the geosciences. Over the summer I began my role as an instructor at the Les Huston Geology Field Camp, just in time to celebrate the 75th anniversary and Dr. Puckette’s “retirement.” Teaching at the field camp is such a great experience and I can’t wait to get back to Grape Creek this summer. This spring semester is a busy one as I am finishing up my Ph.D. for a May graduation and teaching 400 students across three classes. A hectic time, but nowhere else I would rather be! More Faculty News TRENITY FORD TEACHING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Instructor at Les Huston Geology Field Camp This year, we celebrated the graduation of our first Accelerated MS student, Izabelle Buentello (featured in the Recent Graduate Spotlight), whose thesis focused on the Caney Shale in the Ardmore Basin. In addition to DOE funding, Izabelle secured over $14,000 in research grants, stipends, and scholarships from AAPG, OERB, OGF, RMAG, Core Lab, and Halliburton. In Fall 2024, as part of GEOL 6363: Advanced Carbonates, Dr. Buddy Price (Devon Energy), Brandon Spencer, and I led a multi-day field trip to the Guadalupe Mountains—an iconic location showcasing seismicto-reservoir scale carbonate variability. Eight students presented posters in the field, and five students from Dr. Jack Pashin’s Basin Analysis course joined us. Nearly all costs were covered by Dr. Price, Devon, and the Chesapeake Energy Chair Fund. Looking ahead, we plan to integrate a Paradox Basin field trip into GEOL 5363: Carbonate Depositional Systems with an optional GEOL 5990 course for additional student participation. MICHAEL GRAMMER REGENTS PROFESSOR Chesapeake Energy Chair of Petroleum Geology: Carbonate Sed/ Strat and Reservoir Characterization spring.2025
13 In 2024, I taught seven in-person courses and a popular online course offered both semesters. I regularly teach two CEAT Petroleum Engineering Minor courses: Petroleum Geology for Engineers and Applied Well Log Analysis for Engineers. I also teach Introduction to Well Log Analysis for undergraduates and Advanced Well Log Analysis for graduate students, both focused on integrating core and log data to solve subsurface challenges. In the spring, I taught Climate Change and Humanity, a cross-listed geology/geography course. I continued teaching Geology of the National Parks, offered online and in person—Fall 2024 saw an enrollment shift favoring the in-person section. I also led the Honors add-on course The Power of Water: Sculpting the Earth, examining how geology shapes environments and sustainability.Outside the classroom, I served on two master’s committees: one student defended in December, and another is pursuing a feasibility study on COCUS in the Appalachians. MARY HILEMAN VISITING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Sequence Stratigraphy, Petroleum Exploitation, Geoscience Education Adjunct Teaching Faculty in School of Geology since 2009 A number of our professors are working on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer. Dr. Beckmann (adjunct from microbiology) is working with Dr. Xu on biogeochemical changes. Dr. Halihan is working with Dr. Zhang on measuring and modeling recharge changes and effects. The project is funded by EPA in partnership with ECU in Ada and Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, as well as tribal and nonprofit partners. We have a number of undergraduate, graduate and post doctoral fellows working to increase recharge to the aquifer that supplies water to a significant number of people in south central Oklahoma. TODD HALIHAN INTERIM DEPARTMENT HEAD Professor - Clyde Wheeler Sun Chair of Hydrogeology: Hydrogeology of Fractured and Karstic Aquifers and Hydrogeophysics More Faculty News Left to right: Rafael Mango (visiting researcher from Brazil), Dr. Yipeng Zhang (groundwater modeling), Dr. Tingying Xu (geochemistry), and Clayton Hedges (M.S. student) at a trench for a one-kilometer geophysical monitoring cable over the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer. spring.2025
14 I joined BPSoG in Spring 2025, specializing in near-surface geophysics to investigate groundwater, mineral exploration, geothermal energy, and hydrocarbon systems. My research focuses on continental break-up mechanisms in non-magmatic environments, using potential field methods and geophysical techniques, supported by an NSF grant. Our team has presented over 20 abstracts at national and international conferences, with seven publications in review. My latest paper, coauthored with colleagues, explores the legacy of potential field methods in the East African Rift System. I actively mentor students in the Wichita Research Group, applying airborne geophysics for subsurface imaging. My master’s students work on geothermal energy, carbon capture, groundwater studies, and cavern imaging. This semester, I am teaching Fundamentals of Geophysics, an essential course in geophysical methods. I’m thrilled to return to BPSoG and contribute to my alma mater’s success! More Faculty News In the background is the Popocatépetl volcano spewing smoke. For someone like me, it was an “oh wow” moment. For Puebla-ians, this is a common sight. They couldn’t care less. The picture is taken at Santuario de la Virgen de los Remedios, a church on top of an ancient (pre-Aztec) pyramid. As part of an NSF I-Corps grant, I traveled to Mexico to conduct customer discovery focused on structural health monitoring of heritage buildings. The goal was to better understand the needs and challenges faced by engineers, conservationists, and public officials in safeguarding culturally significant structures, especially in earthquake-prone regions. Through this immersive experience, I engaged with a range of stakeholders - from municipal engineers and historical preservationists to emergency planners and university researchers. These conversations not only validated the relevance of my technology but also revealed a clear demand for cost-effective, minimally invasive tools that can provide real-time structural integrity data. This groundwork led to an exciting partnership with the Puebla City Society of Civil Engineers. Together, we explored the installation of accelerometers on several heritage buildings in the city. These sensors are designed to capture subtle vibrations and shifts in structural behavior over time, offering valuable data to support maintenance decisions, risk assessment, and disaster preparedness. The collaboration marks a significant step toward integrating modern sensing technologies with heritage conservation practices. It also exemplifies how academic research and entrepreneurial innovation can intersect with public infrastructure needs in a meaningful, impactful way. This experience has not only deepened my understanding of international infrastructure challenges but also demonstrated how culturally sensitive engineering solutions can be deployed through community-based partnerships. PRIYANK JAISWAL PROFESSOR Director of Professional Science Master’s in Geoscience, Seismology, Inverse Theory, Petroleum Systems, and Gas Hydrates ANDREW KATUMWEHE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Environmental Geophysics and Structural Geology spring.2025
15 More Faculty News CAMELIA KNAPP ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH Professor - V. Brown Monnett Chair in Petroleum Geology: Geophysics, Crustal Studies, Energy Resources, Carbon Storage, Gas Hydrates and Project Management Big things are happening for Dr. Camelia Knapp! In October 2023, she stepped into a major leadership role as Associate Dean for Research in OSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, where she supports research across 24 departments and six interdisciplinary programs. Despite the promotion, she remains deeply connected to BPSoG, continuing to teach Seismic Data Processing and Environmental Geophysics—two courses she launched at OSU—and leading over $5 million in DOEfunded carbon storage research. In 2024, Dr. Knapp received the prestigious SEG Outstanding Educator Award, recognizing her impact in the classroom and beyond. She also earned the RMFMS Honorary Scholarship Award and nominated two deserving Ph.D. students, Lauren Haygood and Silas Samuel, for scholarships. A champion of community outreach, Dr. Knapp helped launch the Spring Swap through the Oklahoma State Council of Mineralogical Societies. Now a favorite tradition, it returns April 5, 2025—come join the fun in Stillwater! JIM KNAPP PROFESSOR Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair of Geoscience: Structural Geology, Geophysics, Crustal Studies and Carbon Storage Dr. James Knapp is the Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair of Geoscience. Despite navigating significant health issues during most of 2024, Jim focused his efforts on university service and research. As a member of the OSU Faculty Council, he is Chair of the Faculty Committee and a member of the Career-Track Faculty Committee, which he helped to establish. He led the addition of more than 800 Career-Track faculty as voting members of the General Faculty of OSU. Jim also served as the OSU Faculty Fellow for Energy, serving with nine other OSU faculty to advance the We Are Land Grant strategic plan for the university. The Wichita Mountains Task Force (WMTF), co-led with Dr. Brandon Spencer, welcomed four new members, graduated two undergraduate students, and conducted field work on Fort Sill. Six undergraduate students gave their first professional presentation at the South-Central GSA meeting in Springfield, MO. spring.2025
16 2024 has been an active year of teaching, research, and student mentorship. I taught Sequence Stratigraphy in the spring, exploring sea-level, climate, and tectonic influences, and Basin Evolution in the fall, focusing on global basin systems. Research collaborations with students led to multiple publications, including work on CO₂ site screening (Hu), sealing properties of the Marine Tuscaloosa (Wethington), Mississippian carbonates in the STACK play (Bynum), and Gulf of Mexico stress regimes (Ademilola). Ian Cox, featured in this year’s PhD Student Spotlight, published on the Ardmore Basin and is finalizing his dissertation. Research progressed on CO₂ storage in Oklahoma, the Gulf of Mexico, the Appalachians, and a new project in a hydrogen hub in Virginia. I also met with the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment to discuss CO₂ storage technology. Additional highlights include leading short courses and mentoring SEG EVOLVE students exploring geothermal systems in Australia. More Faculty News Hola Alumni and Friends of the BPSoG. Ph.D. student Oyewande Ojo published new results on the timing of rifting in the Malawi Rift. Jacob Archer defended his M.S. thesis on the geodetic monitoring of dams in Oklahoma. Melina Lazar, Ph.D. student, continues her research of fracture characterization under dams. This research continues to be funded by state agencies. Eric Lebar is a Wentz Scholar investigating faulting in the Caribbean. He presented his work at GSA Connects in Anaheim, and at the OSU Undergraduate Symposium. I was invited to give the keynote lecture at the 2024 Chevron Hispanic Heritage Month. I have enjoyed teaching geology to 300 non-majors online and face-toface. I especially enjoyed teaching the Structural Geology course with field trips to the Seneca Fault and the Arbuckle Mountains. I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Todd Halihan in guiding the School to meet our goals. DANIEL LAÓ-DÁVILA PROFESSOR AND ASSOCIATE HEAD Structural Geology, Plate Tectonics, Fault Slip Analysis and Caribbean Geology JACK PASHIN REGENTS PROFESSOR Devon Chair of Basin Research: Sedimentary Geology, Coalbed Methane, Shalegas, Structural Geology and Basin Analysis spring.2025
17 More Faculty News My research group is continuing to explore topics ranging from paleoenvironmental conditions to organic compounds in produced water to a new collaborative NASA EPSCoR grant investigating potential biosignatures on Enceladus. Kehinde Egunjobi earned a GSA research grant for his work on unraveling the MECO in the Southern Hemisphere. The WRANE program is wrapping up, with one last upcoming summer symposium for our high school cohorts. We are also looking at ways to make our educational materials available for teachers to use in the classroom or with student groups. Teaching-wise, my first run of GEOL 2403 for the Environmental Geoscience major this past spring was a good balance of geochemistry basics with practical skills, though I definitely have improvement plans for next time. For outreach, the 2024 GEO-REx camp went well and we are currently planning for this summer’s camp. Many thanks to the societies and donors who have supported us! TRACY QUAN PROFESSOR Stable Isotope Geochemistry, Organic Geochemistry, Paleoceanography and Sedimentary Geochemistry NATASCHA RIEDINGER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Graduate Coordinator: Sedimentary Geochemistry, Marine Systems and Biogeochemical Cycles Last year, I spent the spring semester on sabbatical leave in Corvallis, OR, at the Oregon State University. This stay allowed me to catch up with some writing and to establish new research collaborations. I was also able to promote my geochemistry group and the department by giving several invited talks at national and international institutes and universities last year, and I was one of eight invited international speakers at a Marine Benthic Biogeochemistry symposium (GEOMAR, Germany). I also co-organized an international workshop on marine sediment fluids in Ohio. On student news, Lauren Haygood (PhD candidate), successfully applied to participate in an ocean drilling expedition (International Ocean Discover Program 403) in the summer. While Emma Shook (MS student), graduated in December, I was able to recruit one new MS student, Olivia Galvez, who is working on earthquake-triggered sediment deposits. And one of my undergraduate students successfully applied for the OSU Neil Purdie scholarship. spring.2025
18 In 2024, I continued teaching Mineralogy/Petrology and introductory courses, and added a new course in Economic Geology. Several students are now pursuing research or graduate studies in mining or other economic resources, so that course was timely! I’ve now begun teaching Petroleum Geology, and have enjoyed integrating the traditional “petroleum systems” coursework with “subsurface methods” activities such as subsurface mapping, core work, and log analysis. I hope this prepares students for internships and jobs in today’s industry. 2024 Field Camp saw a success, both due to the fantastic 75th Anniversary Celebration and the implementation of the new Environmental Geoscience module. This year, we’ll introduce additional modules in Paleontology, Economic Geology, and Geophysics. My research in the Wichitas continues with Jim Knapp and a cadre of students; one is now a MS student. I’ve also begun working with another student on a core-based reservoir characterization project in the Anadarko Basin. More Faculty News BRANDON SPENCER ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Undergraduate Director: Structural Geology and Tectonics, Metamorphic Petrology and Geochemistry and Geoscience Education The Geofluids & Hydrogeology: Water-Energy-CO2 Nexus research group, which currently consists of 4 PhD students, is committed to advancing the goal of net-zero emissions energy transition. In 2024, I won the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to conduct research and teach on “Energy transition and mining of critical minerals for energy in Bolivia.” As part of my participation in this program during Fall 2024, I trained 15 Bolivian students on the environmental aspects of the energy and mining industries, and I initiated a new collaboration on biomining of lithium from surface brines. In the same year, my research group published 3 peer-reviewed papers in highly regarded environmental and energy journals. One of these publications was authored by an MS student who graduated from my research program in Fall 2024. My research this year was funded by 2 NSF research grants, for which I am the sole Principal Investigator. JAVIER VILCÁEZ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Geofluids and Hydrogeology spring.2025
19 More Faculty News TINGYING XU ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Environmental Geochemistry, Hydrogeochemistry and Metal (Bio) Geochemistry Greetings! 2024 marks my fourth year at OSU, and it’s been a rewarding one for my research group. We’ve stayed busy working on multiple projects funded by the NSF, ACS PRF, EPA, and USDA. I’m thrilled to share that my NSF CAREER grant was selected for funding—this exciting five-year project on fungal manganese oxidation will be featured in an upcoming spotlight article. My group has grown to include two Ph.D. students, one postdoc, and four undergraduates. I’m currently recruiting two additional graduate students to join us. On the teaching side, I offered Environmental Geology and Human Health in Spring 2024 with updated content, and I was encouraged by the positive student feedback. I plan to continue offering it annually and hope it will inspire more undergraduates to join the Geology program. I’m grateful to be part of the BPSoG community and look forward to continued collaboration and discovery. This year, I successfully finished my teaching duties in the department, which spans from teaching non-major freshmen and sophomore physical geology to teaching senior undergraduates and graduate students physical hydrogeology. The new hydrogeology computing lab in the Noble Research Center is starting to take shape, and we are expanding our research capacity by building apparatus for lab-scale1D flow-through column experiment and 2D sand tank experiment. Two new PhD students joined my research group to work on the Enhanced Aquifer Recharge project, and another postdoc is about to join us soon in 2025. We began collecting water and soil samples from the field and started to develop the refined, sitespecific groundwater flow model for the site. I started to serve as the hydrogeology representative in the Joint Technical Program Committee of the Geological Society of America for FY 25 and 26. Looking forward to a more fulfilling year in 2025. YIPENG ZHANG ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Hydrogeology, Basin Scale Numerical Modeling, Groundwater in Geologic Processes and Induced Seismicity spring.2025
20 Adjunct Faculty DR. CAITLIN BARNES COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES - DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH Fluid Induced Seismicity, Groundwater, Disposal Wells and Planetary Geology DR. SABRINA BECKMANN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics: Industrial Microbiology, Microbiology, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Development and Water Treatment DR. CARLOS CORDOVA PROFESSOR Geoarchaeology, Quaternary Paleoecology, Geomorphology, Pollen and Phytoliths DR. BABU FATHEPURE PROFESSOR Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics: Bioremediation Microbes, Microbiology and Microbial Ecology DR. AHMED ISMAIL PROFESSOR Principal Geophysicist with Maxima Geophysics LLC in Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex DR. MILEVA RADONJIC ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Samson Investment Chair in Petroleum Engineering - College of Engineering: Rock Fluid Interactions, Micro-geochemistry, Wellbore Leakage and Caprock Integrity Adjunct faculty are a vital asset to geology education, bringing real-world experience from industry, research, and government directly into the classroom. Their specialized expertise enhances the curriculum with current, practical knowledge in areas like hydrogeology, geophysics, and environmental consulting. For students, this means access to diverse perspectives, career insights, and valuable networking opportunities. Adjuncts also allow institutions to expand course offerings and adapt quickly to emerging trends, all while maintaining academic excellence. Their contributions enrich the learning environment and better prepare students for the complexities of today’s geoscience careers. spring.2025
21 Special Recognition We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Tingying Xu has been awarded a highly competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER grant— one of the most prestigious honors given to early-career faculty in the sciences. As far as we know, Dr. Xu is the first faculty member in the Boone Pickens School of Geology to receive this distinguished award. Her fiveyear, $592,324 project, titled “CAREER: Unraveling the Role of Bivalent Metals on Fungal Manganese Oxide Biomineralization Mechanisms,” will explore how common metals influence fungal-driven biomineralization processes that play a vital role in Earth’s metal cycles. Dr. Xu’s research combines laboratory chemistry, cutting-edge structural and molecular techniques, and environmental applications. The outcomes will improve our understanding of metal cycling in nature and advance low-cost bioremediation strategies for polluted environments. We are proud to celebrate this major milestone in Dr. Xu’s career and the department’s growing research excellence. DR. TINGYING XU Receives Prestigious NSF CAREER Award The Outreach Faculty Excellence Award was created to recognize and honor faculty contributions toward the OSU outreach mission of enhancing the quality of life in Oklahoma, the nation and the world by contributing to the human, economic and cultural development of our citizens. Barnes works with faculty to create high-quality online courses as well as facilitating professional development opportunities for continuing education within the geosciences. Barnes currently directs the collaboration between OSU and the National Ground Water Association to address a critical shortfall of geoscience workers and to improve access to groundwater for people around the world. Outreach Faculty Excellence Award DR. CAITLIN BARNES The NGWA University program co-founded by Dr. Todd Halihan and Dr. Caitlin Barnes won three awards this year. The program received the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Online Innovation Award for its one-of-a-kind online learning experience and the far-reaching scale of the program’s platform. The public service announcement bringing attention to groundwater issues won both Bright Idea Grand Prize and Excellence in Social Media awards from the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association for overall media campaign and visually stunning social media posts. The captivating notion of medical workers washing their hands in muddy water was the unique brainchild of Halihan, while Barnes wrote, directed and produced the public service announcement commercial, website and social media campaign. Award-Winning Program: NGWA UNIVERSITY spring.2025
22 Last summer marked Dr. Jim Puckette’s retirement as field camp director. Puckette attended OSU Field Camp as a student in the ’70s and has since become one of the longest-tenured professors to lead a field camp nationwide. “When I completed field camp in 1975, it was one of those unforgettable life experiences,” Puckette said. “I was also fortunate to have Jim Puckette teammates on group projects who were as passionate about geology as I was. All aspects of field camp were enjoyable: fieldwork, breakfast and supper … organizing informal field trips to see more geology, and the recreation, which consisted mostly of playing volleyball in camp in the evening.” During his first summer at the camp, Puckette established a friendship with the camp’s namesake, Les Huston, and his neighbors who lived on the land where the field camp is located. Huston’s daughter, Tiny Striegel, told Puckette throughout their friendship how important the camp’s research was to the local community. “This relationship with our neighbors was more than social because during the severe drought season in the summer, the Eight Mile Creek dries up and our neighbors haul water from the camp well to use domestically and water their livestock,” Puckette said. “Through good times and the tough times, Ms. Tiny Striegel remained our most important benefactor and advocate. Tiny, like her father Les, looked forward each year to the day the camp opened.” spring.2025
23 Until her passing in 2018, Striegel positively impacted OSU, her local community and generations of geoscientists. The university named her a matriarchal donor in 2019 to honor her contributions. “Tiny was an essential part of field camp,” Puckette said. “She not only helped us with access to property in the area, but she was also our advocate for getting permits approved in Fremont County when we rebuilt cabins following the flash flood of 2006. Tiny loved the camp and the students. She visited often to read her poetry to the students and staff and visit with students and her friends and former neighbors.” Like Huston and Striegel, Puckette has been a key figure in the development of field camp — something he is excited to see continue under Dr. Brandon Spencer’s leadership. Spencer inherited the field camp director title and taught alongside Puckette for the past three summers. The energy of field camp lies within the students, something both Spencer and Puckette agree on. They explained that the remote nature of the camp in Cañon City influences students to collaborate and create memories together. “We want to see students having fun and making friends,” Spencer said. “Jim and I have talked a lot about keeping the spirit alive and living up to their expectations of field camp.” Although Puckette is retired, he will still be present at OSU as an emeritus professor and mentor to the program. “He’s not going anywhere, honestly,” Spencer said. “He’s passed the torch on, and we hope to have a great time out there for years to come.” This excerpt was taken from a 2024 article by Jade Dudley published in CONNECT Magazine. Read the full article at news.okstate.edu. spring.2025
24 Field Camp Marks 75th Anniversary Last summer, the Les Huston Geology Field Camp celebrated 75 years of providing hands-on experiences for aspiring geoscientists. Since its establishment in 1949, the field camp has become a staple of Oklahoma State University’s Boone Pickens School of Geology. It has offered OSU students — as well as students from other institutions — the opportunity to apply their education to real-world field research and mapping projects. Students travel to Cañon City, Colorado, and spend five weeks putting their geological skills to the test. Among their activities, they conduct detailed geologic mapping, measure stratigraphic sections and hike Cañon City’s vast mountain range. To commemorate the camp’s 75th anniversary, OSU’s BPSoG has initiated an update to not only the summer program, but the camp as well. A plan is in the works to build a new camp facility, update the camp’s technological capabilities and insulate the buildings for year-round usage. “We’re working with an architect in Tulsa called GH2,” said OSU geology professor Dr. Brandon Spencer. “The idea is to make a functional facility that’s technologically capable. It will be a fourseason camp and serve as a research station for other schools and universities to come into the area and do field work.” This summer also marked the retirement of Dr. Jim Puckette, who attended OSU Field Camp as a student in the ’70s and was field camp director until 2022. “Field camp must evolve as geological science evolves,” Puckette said. “I am very enthused and supportive of the proposed camp improvements that can make the facility available for other disciplines outside of geoscience and extend the use of the camp into the spring and fall.” This excerpt was taken from a 2024 article by Jade Dudley published in CONNECT Magazine. Read the full article at news.okstate.edu. spring.2025
25 Ian Cox is a Ph.D. student in the BPSoG, set to graduate in May 2025. A Colorado native, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in geology from Western State Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado, in 2019 before completing his Master of Science in geology at Oklahoma State University in 2021. Ian works with Dr. Jack Pashin on basin modeling and petroleum systems analysis of the Ardmore Basin, and his research is funded by the DOE and industry partners. His work examines the structural controls of hydrocarbon source rock thermal maturity in structurally complex sedimentary basins. Recently, an OSU School of Geology alumnus provided him with 2D reflection seismic profiles of the Ardmore Basin, which greatly advanced his research. His work provides one of the few publicly available, detailed subsurface analyses of the Ardmore Basin, establishing a structural framework for oil and gas exploration, and providing insights into the structural dynamics of oblique-slip mobile zones. He recently published his research on the Ardmore Basin in the International Journal of Coal Geology. During his time at OSU, Ian completed multiple internships at some of the world’s largest petroleum and mining companies. Upon graduation, Ian will be starting an internship at Hess Corporation in Houston, TX. Undergraduate Spotlight Sophia Hunt is a freshman undergraduate at Oklahoma State University, double majoring in geology and geophysics. Sophia has been active in research since her junior year of high school. With her research partner Ariel Diez, she has conducted research in the fields of hydrogeology, environmental geoscience, and soil science. Sophia has competed in multiple research competitions notably taking first place at the Tulsa Regional Science Fair and representing Oklahoma in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize National competition. She has also presented at over five professional conferences including GSA South Central and OCLWA. Sophia is active in many student organizations, including serving as the elected secretary for the Oklahoma State University Geological Society (OSUGS). Sophia is passionate about using geological techniques and observing the natural world to create holistic solutions to present-day problems. Her current research uses ERI to analyze groundwater recharge and is working on developing enhanced aquifer recharge structures that mimic natural processes. Graduate Spotlight Sophia Hunt Ian Cox spring.2025
26 Izabelle Buentello was the first graduate of OSU’s Accelerated Master’s Program, setting a strong example for future students. During her time at OSU, she demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and research success, securing a total of $16,750 in scholarships and grants including: The Oklahoma Geological Foundation Geology Fellowship ($3,000), Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Grant from AAPG Grants-in-Aid ($2,750), Michael S. Johnson Scholarship from RMAG ($6,000), and the OERB Geosciences Fellowship Award ($5,000). Izabelle presented her research at AAPG and GSA, winning the RMAG Planalp Award at MCAAPG for Best Poster in a professional session. She also served as President of OSUGS (20222023) and AAPG (2023-2024). She and Dr. Grammer are preparing a peerreviewed publication from her thesis, where she is first author. Now at ConocoPhillips in Houston, Izabelle continues to apply her expertise in the energy industry. Her achievements highlight the impact of OSU’s Accelerated Master’s Program, and we are excited to see where her career takes her next! Izabelle Buentello was the first graduate of OSU’s Accelerated Master’s Program, setting a strong example for future students. During her time at OSU, she demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and research success, securing a total of $16,750 in scholarships and grants including: The Oklahoma Geological Foundation Geology Fellowship ($3,000), Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Grant from AAPG Grants-in-Aid ($2,750), Michael S. Johnson Scholarship from RMAG ($6,000), and the OERB Geosciences Fellowship Award ($5,000). Izabelle presented her research at conferences such as AAPG and GSA, winning the Roger N. Planalp Award at MC-AAPG for Best Poster in a professional session and 3rd place overall in the graduate student poster session at GSA. She also served as President of OSUGS (2022-2023) and AAPG (20232024). She and Dr. Grammer are preparing a peer-reviewed publication from her thesis, where she is first author. Now at ConocoPhillips in Houston, Izabelle continues to apply her expertise in the energy industry. Her achievements highlight the impact of OSU’s Accelerated Master’s Program, and we are excited to see where her career takes her next! Recent Graduate Spotlight Izabelle Buentello spring.2025
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