To add your alumni update, please visit here.

Congratulations to alumna Dr. Victoria Buford-Parks on welcoming her new baby, Emmett James Parks on 6/8/21!

Broxton Bird, Ph.D. 2009

Broxton Bird, Ph.D., associate professor of earth sciences in the Purdue School of Science at IUPUI is one of the recipients of the 2021 Research Frontiers Trailblazer Award.

Kevin Reath, Ph.D. 2016, BS 2006 

In June 2020 I started a position as the Deputy Program Scientist for the Earth Surface and Interior focus area at NASA HQ.

John Harper, Ph.D. 1977 with grandson Jonathan Russell at Kennywood, summer of 2019.

It's hard to believe that for the past 7 years I've been retired from the Pennsylvania Geological Survey where I spent my entire professional career. During retirement, I have spent two days a week volunteering at the Pittsburgh office of the Survey and two days volunteering and doing research on Paleozoic gastropods at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 2020 was something of a bust -- I haven't been able to do any volunteer work since March 16, but I've kept my hand in the game by researching and writing articles on western Pennsylvania geology, paleontology, and oil history.

Adel El-Emam - 1983 MS Graduate

Adel El-Emam is a consultant geophysicist with more than 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, of which he served Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) for 25 years. He is responsible for the integrity and technical excellence of the geophysical methods in Kuwait. He pioneered the introduction of single-sensor seismic acquisition technology to Kuwait, which has become a standard way of acquiring seismic data worldwide. El-Emam is a technology adopter, promotes science, and shares knowledge through collaboration with academia and industry. He designed and led a three-year research collaboration project for multiple attenuation, which resulted in developing algorithms and workflows that are routinely used by the KOC in-house data processing center. He has a BS in geology from Cairo University (1975) and an MS in geophysics on “Attenuation of seismic waves” from the University of Pittsburgh (1983).

El-Emam has presented and published more than 40 papers for local and international conferences. He was awarded Best Poster Presentation at SEG’s 2005 Annual Meeting. He also serves as a technical reviewer for several international societies. In collaboration with SEG, El-Emam has organized and chaired several successful workshops in the Middle East region addressing different geophysical subjects and challenges. These world-class workshops were attended by renowned professors and industry experts. He is an active member of several international societies such as SEG, the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and is an active member of the SEG Middle East Advisory Committee. He has served as chair of the SEG Distinguished Instructor Short Course (DISC) Committee since 2017.

Alumna, Janine Krippner in the news! - The first update to government rankings since 2005 uses multiple factors to reveal the potential severity of impacts from future eruptions. Read the full story.

Congratulations to 2017 MS Alumna Emily Glick on her 3rd baby boy, Simon 9lb. 7 oz., January 10, 2018!

Congratulations to 2017 MS Alumna Damara Strong on her new bundle of joy, Odessa Adelaide, April 1, 2018.

University of Pittsburgh undergraduate and graduate alumni, Dr. Alan Mur and Dr. Chris Purcell with Bill Harbert at the International Exposition and 87th Annual meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists held in Houston Texas.  Dr. Mur is a geophysicist working for Ikon Science and Dr. Purcell a geophysicist working for Nexen CNOOC ltd.  Both are extremely busy in advanced applied geophysical exploration and production activities and were attending this meeting held in Houston, Texas. 

Dr. Kristy Hopkins - 2014 Ph.D. Graduate - Research Scientist at the US Geological Survey

Dr. Suzanne Metlay - 1993 Ph.D. Graduate 

Suzanne T. Metlay is full-time faculty at Western Governors University, Teachers College, preparing pre-service and of-record teachers to become middle school and high school Earth science educators with subject matter expertise in geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. Suzanne leads the Geosciences Education program, teaches graduate students as well as undergraduates, and assists students getting ready for their Praxis and state content exams nationwide. Prior to joining WGU, Suzanne was full-time astronomy faculty at Front Range Community College, Colorado; Operations Director at Secure World Foundation (private non-profit for space sustainability); Education Programs Manager at Fiske Planetarium, University of Colorado at Boulder; and a member of the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET). Current passions include annual talks at local astronomy clubs about Pluto and other dwarf planets, active engagement in professional organization s (NAGT, GSA, NSTA), and anything Orphan Black or Doctor Who.

Dr. Kevin Reath - 2011 MS Graduate - 2016 Ph.D. Graduate - Fellow at the USGS Powell Center and Postdoctoral Associate at Cornell University

Christopher Hortert - 2016 MS Graduate - Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

Sarah Lavin - 2015 MS Graduate - Rhea Engineers & Consultants

Ashley Ace - 2016 MS Graduate - US Census Bureau

Justin Coughlin - 2016 MS Graduate - Physical Scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency in Region 5 at the Chicago, IL headquarters

Matthew Dieterich - 2015 MS Graduate

His photo from Mt. Rainer was used in the US Postal Services celebration of National Park Sevice's Centennial

Paul R. Coyle - 2003 MS Graduate 

I am the team leader of the National Mine Map Repository, Office of Surface Mining, Regulation and Enforcement.We collect hard rock and coal mine maps from all over the country. We presently have 180,000 digital maps in our archives. I just want my classmates to know that I am still alive and kicking.

Barry J. Rava - 1980 MS Graduate

• Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists - National Director founded
• Icarus Oil and Gas, Inc. 1996 - awaiting pipeline connection for large discovery & marketing prospects; Formed BR E&P, LLC 2015; Icarus as part owner. BREP is seeking producing assets for acquisition BREP is seeking producing assets for acquisition

Michael Price - 1970 MS Graduate

Retired from HESS Corp in 2009. Last position was Geological Operations Manager for Offshore Gulf of Mexico. After the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in April, 2010, he was called out of retirement for several months to help apply the new Federal regulations imposed for drilling in the the Gulf of Mexico. He has recently relocated from Seattle, WA to Melbourne, FL.  He is into wildlife photography, particularly at a protected wetland near our home.   

Darryl Bishop - 2016 Pro-MS Graduate - Adecco Engineering/contracting for Uber ATC as a Mapping Specialist

Francesco Corona - 1980 MS Graduate

Franco enjoying a fine cappuccino in his favorite Roman hangout Tazza D'Oro.

Francesco Corona retired after 34+ years in the petroleum industry with Exxon, Unocal, and ExxonMobil working throughout the upstream in research, exploration, development, and production with assignments in Houston, London, and Hannover (Germany). Franco's career ended at ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company in March 2015 as a Senior Technical Advisor in Structural Analysis. Henow lives in a country home in Albemarle County, northwest of Charlottesville, with his artist wife Victoria and two cats, Donizetti & Bellini

Matt Dieterich just finished receiving his teaching certificate in Texas and will be starting a lab management position at a company that makes oil/gas water treatment units in Houston.  He was also just accepted for an expedition fo Chile to visit the astronomy observatories.

Congratulations to Dr. Rob Rossi (PhD ’16) who was recently awarded a NatureNet Science Post-Doctoral Fellowship by the Nature Conservancy.  Rob will research soil carbon cycling and the enhanced sequestration of soil carbon through land management in the Environmental Earth System Science Department at Stanford University.

Dr. Kutchko is a 2004 MS Alumni of the department and was recently invited to serve as the Society of Petroleum Engineers Distinguished Lecturer for the 2018-2019 lecture!

Alumni, Dr. Chris Purcell and Daniel Delaney at a Geophysical Field Site.

Alumnus Adam Rak *M.S, 2015 just had his masters thesis work published in the AGU journal Tectonics!

• Professorships:
  • Dr. Matthew Finkenbinder - 2015 Ph.D. Graduate - Assistant Professor in the Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences Department at Wilkes University
  • Dr. Aubrey Hillman - 2015 Ph.D. Graduate - Assistant Professor in the School of Geosciences at the University of Louisiana Lafayette
  • Dr. Christopher Hughes - 2011 Ph.D. Graduate - Assistant Professor at the Eastern Kentucky University
  • Dr. Alison H. Graettinger - 2012 Ph.D. Graduate - Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Missouri - Kansas City

Donate - Please support the Department of Geology and Environmental Science