Spring 2004Colorado School of Mines

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From the Department Head

Does anybody recall that catchy lyric of the Beatles, “We get by witha little help from our friends”? From previous newsletters you are

aware of the generous support we receive every year for our summer fieldcamp with equipment donations from a myr-iad of companies, agencies, and organiza-tions. Veritas and Sercel go the extra mile(s)by sending their experts along with theirequipment. In the case of Veritas this meanstwo seismic vibroseis trucks and a crew to op-erate and maintain them! Last summer, RogerMorin of the USGS also brought his loggingtruck to camp.

During the past year, among the kind do-nations from our alumni were two especiallygenerous financial gifts from Jim and ArlenePayne, and Fred and Kathi Hilterman. A common thread between thesetwo gifts is one of the giants of our past – John Hollister. Fred remem-bers when he was struggling to find money for equipment he needed forhis graduate research, and John Hollister, the Department Head at thattime, took out his checkbook and wrote a check to meet Fred’s need. TheHilterman’s endowment to Colorado School of Mines is aimed at equip-ping the department to respond to students’ needs with the generous spir-it of John Hollister. Jim and Arlene Payne’s gift to Mines honors the mem-ory not only of John Hollister, but also of George Meredith and Paul Keat-ing (Geology). The Paynes’ generous endowment provides for the GeorgeMeredith (undergraduate) Scholarship in Geophysics, the John HollisterGraduate Fellowship in Geophysics, and the Paul Keating Graduate Fel-lowship in Geology!

The highlight of our Geophysics Faculty Summer Retreat was the par-ticipation of geophysicists from other universities, agencies, and industrywho enriched our discussion of the future of applied geophysics duringthe next 5, 10, and 20 years.

This year the Department of Geophysics is singing a revised version ofthe lyric—we get by with a LOT of help from our friends!

We are grateful.

3 In the Spotlight

5 Student Life

10 Field Camp

12 Summer Internships

14 Looking to the Future

17 Research

22 Just for Fun

24 Honors & Awards

26 Graduation 2003

geophysicsSpring 2004

Colorado School of Mines

The Department welcomes Susan Venableand Barbara Middlebrook as staff members. Inaddition to helping the Department at large, Su-san is administrative assistant to Tom Davis andthe Reservoir Characterization Project and Bar-bara is administrative assistant to Ken Larner,Charles Henry Green Professor.

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SPOTLIGHT

EndowmentReflects Value ofCSM Education

For Jim Payne, a 1959 CSM graduate in Geophysics,three Mines professors stand out as having had an ex-traordinary impact on his life. Out of appreciation, Jim

and his wife, Arlene have honored those professors by do-nating $1 million to establish the James L. and Arlene H.Payne Endowment. This gift will generate support for thefollowing scholarships and fellowships:

Arlene and Jim Payne(Class of ‘59, Geophysical

Engineering)make donation to honor

educators

• The John C. Hollister Graduate Fellowship in Geo-physics,

• The George Meredith Scholarship in Geophysics, and • The Paul Keating Graduate Fellowship in Geology.

Payne, who is Chairman, CEO and President of Nuevo En-ergy Company in Houston, states, “While I went to ColoradoSchool of Mines, I was fortunate to be exposed to many highquality instructors and professors. As I got older, I realizedthat out of that group, three in particular significantly influ-enced my actions after Mines. I grew to understand howmuch they had helped me not just in my education, but inmy life, and I wanted to recognize what they had done forme.”

Though having vastly different demeanor and teachingstyles, each of these professors was guided by a deep devo-tion to the welfare of their students, according to those whowere their students and peers. Consequently these educatorsbuilt life-long bonds between their students and themselves,and, in turn, between alumni and Colorado School of Mines.

Paul Keating's life at Mines was dominated by his teach-ing. He taught two of the four required undergraduate geol-ogy courses: Mineralogy and Crystallography, the latter ofwhich earned him the nickname “Crystal Paul”.

George “Doc” Meredith was a quiet man, renowned for

both the rigor of his classes and his dry wit. GeophysicsProfessor Ken Larner recalls him as “a very thoughtful andcaring individual.” Professor Tom Davis states that “Hegave of himself.” Former student and retired professorFrank Hadsell states, “My life would have been much poor-er without his tutelage.”

John Hollister was a ‘33 graduate of Mines and servedas head of the Geophysics Department from 1949 to 1972.He was a past president of the SEG, President of the Den-ver Geophysical Society and a winner of the DistinguishedAchievement Medal of Colorado School of Mines.

Frank Hadsell, who was first a doctoral student, then aMines faculty member during Hollister’s tenure, remem-bers him as a people person, outgoing and a masterful net-worker. While department head, Hadsell recalls, Hollisterearned his nickname, “Papa John”, because he looked outfor his faculty and students.

As noted by Tom Davis, “underlying all of their actionsas professors was the understanding that Mines, as an in-stitution, has a valuable and rich heritage.” Keating, Mered-ith and Hollister believed that each generation of studentsand faculty owed much to their predecessors, and that theway to repay that debt was to pass on as much as one couldto those who followed. Jim & Arlene have done just that.

Thank you to David Rein of the CSM Alumni Office whoallowed us to use portions of a more detailed article that

he wrote, appearing in the Spring 2004 issue of Mines Magazine.

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SPOTLIGHT

distance of the aroma. The only rule—no pineapple on thepizza.

A short while after his arrival in the Geophysics Depart-ment, Ken became associated with the seismic research andconsortium group, the Center for Wave Phenomena. UponNorm Bleistein’s retirement as CWP Director in 1999, Kentook on that additional responsibility. This year the group

celebrates 20 years of researchand graduate education.

Ken’s contributions to geo-physical research have been wellrecognized. Most recently, he

was awarded the 2003 Kapitsa Gold Medal by the RussianAcademy of Natural Sciences; in 1996 he received the Mau-rice Ewing Gold Medal from the Society of ExplorationGeophysicists; in 1988 he received the Conrad Schlumberg-er Award from the European Association of ExplorationGeophysicists. These are only a few examples recognizingKen’s continued advocacy of the geophysical industry.

Every person approaching retirement is asked their plansfor the future. Ken resists any such guesswork, but it is cer-tain he will spend a fair portion of time in the Colorado out-

doors, including his and Nan-cy’s favorite haven–their cab-in in Grand Lake.

Whatever his future occupa-tions, he can be assured thathe has left a true legacy to on-coming generations of geo-physicists who are proud tohave been his students.

Ken Larner, Charles Henry Green Professor of Explo-ration Geophysics, has announced his retirement fromMines and the Department of Geophysics, effective Septem-ber 2004.

Ken joined the CSM GeophysicsDepartment faculty in 1988 after an18-year career with Western Geo-physical (now WesternGeco) wherehe was senior research scientist andthen vice president for geophysicalresearch

During his years at Western, Kendeveloped a reputation among hispeers as a “brilliant researcher”who made significant scientific

contributions, particularly in the area of seismic imaging.Several seminal papers written during those years, for whichhe earned top honors, are still of significance to the explo-ration industry today.

The change of careers that brought Ken to the CSM Geo-physics Department was a homecoming of sorts. Ken re-ceived his B.S. in geophysics from Mines in 1960. (Afterserving in Vietnam in the U.S. Army, he received his Ph.D.from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.)

The switch to academia was a perfect fit. Ken brought to-tal dedication to his role as teacher andmentor, exacting high standards from hisstudents. His efforts—though not alwayshis lavish use of red ink—have been ap-preciated by hundreds of students whohave benefited from his talent to convey difficult conceptsin clear language, and who have left Mines with the confi-dence and ability to achieve their goals. Though you won’tfind it on his formal CV, at times through the years, Ken hasbeen voted Mentor of the Year by his students. In addition,his loyalty and service to his alma mater earned him the2003 Melville F. Coolbaugh Award from the CSM AlumniAssociation. In 1981 he was awarded the CSM Distin-guished Achievement Medal.

Ken is famous for nourishing not only the minds of hisstudents, but also their stomachs. In fact, one student goesso far as to say, “When I think about Dr. Larner, I instantlythink of food.” His labs and lectures often include breaksfor bagels and cream cheese, or a delicious homemadedessert from his wife, Nancy.

For those who know Ken and his sense of humor, it’s nosurprise that he incorporates some fun into the mix of in-tense homework and exams. Ken and Nancy host an annualice skating event that concludes with (you guessed it) moredelicious food and hot chocolate at their home. Ken is alsofamous for his promotion of regular Friday pizza lunches inthe Department to which he invites any geophysicist within

Ken Larner Announces CSM Retirement

Larner quote, recorded by a studentin his Seismic Methods class, “Geo-physicists know nothing.”

CSM Senior KenLarner (1960).

Ken and Nancy Larner enjoying a Colorado winter day.

CSM Professor Ken Larner(2004).

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LIFE

Safety. Innovation. Responsibility. Integrity.Teamwork. ConocoPhillips created the SPIRIT Schol-ars Program to foster these values.

The SPIRIT Scholars Program was initiated in 1996 byPhillips 66 as the Phillips Scholar Program at the Universi-ty of Oklahoma and later at Oklahoma State and the Uni-versity of Tulsa. The program was designed to recruit out-standing students and provide them with leadership and pub-lic service opportunities. Students in the program receivescholarships, business-related training, and professionalmentoring. In 1999, the program was implemented at CSM,and is available to students in geophysics, geology, petrole-um engineering, and chemical engineering.

Upon the merger of Conoco and Phillips in 1996, Cono-coPhillips continued to contribute to higher educationthrough the ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholar Program.Through the program, CSM receives $150,000 in scholar-ship funding and in addition, undergraduates selected asSPIRIT Scholars receive a summer internship.

As part of the program during the Fall 2003 semester,ConocoPhillips sponsored a trip to their headquarters in

WE HAVE

Yes We Do…— John Chakalis and Monica Guerra

SPIRIT

Houston for all CSM scholarswhere they were introduced tovarious divisions of the company.The scholars experienced the excitement of “bid week” andreceived hands-on training with a 3-D visualization system.The trip concluded with a team-building workshop and alook into go-cart racing–an important use of a Cono-coPhillips product.

Representatives from ConocoPhillips frequently visitCSM to meet with the scholars. Recent activities includecooking Thanksgiving dinner at the Ames House for adultswith special needs and a holiday luncheon for the CSMscholars. The scholars at Mines are appreciative of the sup-port they receive from ConocoPhillips through this programthat provides insight into potential career fields, helping un-dergraduates find a focus for their academic work.

ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholars and CSM geophysics stu-dents John Chakalis and Monica Guerra.

Middle School Revisited— Sarah Shearer and Michael Ewing

Sarah and Michael at Hodgkins Middle School with ChrissKilburn (left), 7th grade science teacher and Louise Belnay,8th grade science teacher.

The Geophysics Department, in its on-going attempt toimprove student education, has sent two graduate studentsback to middle school. They were not sent back to sit in theclassroom again, but rather Sarah Shearer and Michael Ew-ing were selected to teach middle school students about thewonders of science!

As part of a National Science Foundation grant awardedto CSM to put graduate students into middle school class-rooms, Sarah and Mike are expanding the minds of 7th and8th grade science students at Hodgkins Middle School inAdams County District 50. Together with classroom teach-ers, Chriss Kilburn and Louise Belnay, they bring excite-ment and knowledge to topics like energy, waves, geology,biology, chemistry, and oceanography.

In addition to teaching, Sarah and Mike are responsiblefor grading, lesson planning, curriculum development, andmaintaining portfolios and web pages about their experi-

ence. They also spend time outside of the classroom volun-teering and organizing activities like MESA, math tutoring,Anime Club, and Web Design Club.

This experience has provided Sarah and Mike with a lotof insight into the middle school environment and life at thefront of the classroom. It is a fantastic opportunity for stu-dents considering a possible career path in education.

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Work HardWork HardPlay Hard...Play Hard...

Our students are an active group whohave achieved many feats–both academicand physical. You will find here a sam-pling of their interests outside of theclassroom.

Lauri Burke (geophysics graduate student)and Todd McFadden (petroleum engineeringalumnus) reach the lost city of MacchuPichu after hiking four days throughcanyons, cloud forests, and high jungles onthe Inca Trail, Peru.

Alex Grêt and wife Adrienne are in Ecuador at the summit of Cotopaxi,the world’s highest active volcano (10,388 ft.). Adrienne is pictured on the front cover ice climbing on Chimborazo (20,700 ft.).

Upside-down, Huub Douma windsurfingon IJsselmeer at Makkum in Friesland, anorthern province of Holland.

Justin Modroo is a profession-al skier, ranked third in NorthAmerica on the Big MountainFreeskiing Tour. He also lovesfly fishing and backpacking.

– photo by Rick Gentzkow

Mila Adam withfriends on asnow trek in theSan JuanMountains.

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Department comeraderie is tested on the GP intramural soccer team(note the young recruit for class 2020).

The Department teams up for intra-mural volleyball. Sarah Shearerwaits optimistically for the nextserve.

Senior Jared Peacock, amember of the successfulMines soccer team, becamethe all-time leader in assistsand was points leader in2003. He also excels on theMines indoor and outdoortrack teams. He competed inthe 2004 Indoor Nationals inBoston and is aiming for the2004 Olympic trials in the800 meter event.

Colorado was a perfect fitfor cycling enthusiast andvisiting Utrecht Universitystudent, Mark Vrijlandt.

Kasper van Wijk is at home in themountains during any season–dayor night! And GP adopted mascotCharlie (owner Kasper) tags along.

Jonathan Woolley (back tocamera) goes forthe catch duringan ultimate fris-bee game. As anundergraduate,Jonathan helpedorganize the firstMines team.

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LIFE

Tashi Tshering comes from a Bhutanese family of six chil-dren. Traditionally, large families are thought to be a signof prosperity in Bhutan, which is primarily agricultural. Inthe 1980’s the government introduced family planning andbegan sending students to school at no cost to the families.This policy encouraged more students from villages to at-tend. However, from the 1990’s onward, families have beenexpected to pay some of the costs for education, thus forc-ing a decrease in family size.

After high school, Tashi took a comprehensive exam thatis administered throughout Bhutan and was awarded a Ful-bright Scholarship. When given the option to choose a uni-versity in the United States, Tashi visited the Division ofGeology and Mines in Bhutan, where he learned about theColorado School of Mines.

Before coming to Mines, Tashi worked as a tour-compa-ny guide, which gave him opportunities to meet Western-ers. A Belgian on Tashi’s tour advised him to stop in Europeenroute to the U.S. to get accustomed to the occidentalworld. Instead he was given a ticket from Bhutan directlyto Kansas. Tashi spent six weeks at the University of Kansas

with other international Fulbright scholars learning comput-er and library skills.

Was it a big culture shock for Tashi when he arrived atMines in Fall 2000? Though the official Bhutanese languageis Dzongkha, teaching is in English–the Queen's English,not American English. Tashi learned that the differences be-tween the two can sometimes get you into trouble. For ex-ample, there is no such thing as fast food in Bhutan, so thequestion “For here, or to go?” made no sense to him.

There are also diet differences between Bhutan and theU.S. Meals in Bhutan consist mostly of rice dishes, supple-

mented with another dishon the side; unlike in theU.S. where something likea steak is the entree, withrice on the side.

The traffic is anotherstriking difference betweenBhutan and the U.S. InBhutan there is no need fortraffic lights. There are nei-ther many cars nor bicy-cles. Bhutan does havetraffic police in a few inter-sections in the capital,prompting a tourist onTashi’s tour to ask, “Whyare there policemen danc-ing in the middle of theroad?”

Education through high school is very good in Bhutan.Tashi arrived on campus having already taken the equiva-lent of Mines requirements Calc I, Calc II, Physics I, PhysicsII, Chem I and Chem II. So Mines classes were easy for himin the beginning. Furthermore, having taken all these cours-es back home in English was a real advantage for him.

When Tashi arrived at Mines, he intended to major in ge-ology. He didn’t know about geophysics. However, he hasalways liked math and physics–especially analytical prob-lems–and subsequently changed his major.

In exchange for his scholarship, Tashi expects to return toBhutan to work. There is no oil in Bhutan, so most of thework is in environmental and mining. Potential field (geo-physical) methods are important in both areas, so Tashi istaking courses in these areas and in mining geophysics, aswell as trying to broaden himself by taking as many othercourses as possible.

The Division of Geology and Mines in Bhutan consistsof about ten people, most of whom have degrees in generalgeology. They don't do extensive geophysical surveys oranalysis of deposits. Tashi would like to map his entire coun-try to produce, for example, a gravity map as a quick refer-ence for mineral exploration and mining. But he’s not surethere is even a gravity meter in Bhutan.

He would also like to apply geophysical methods to esti-mate the ultimate expected recovery from the mines inBhutan. Every ten years the ownership of mines changes,and is open to the general public through auction. If he couldprovide estimates of ultimate recovery from each mine, itwould increase the confidence of Bhutanese entrepreneursto invest in those mines.

We are glad that Tashi found his way to Golden, CSM andthe Department of Geophysics. We look forward to learningwhat is in store for his future.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is an ancient kingdom secludedhigh in the Himalayas with unique customs and people.Adding to the diversity of the Geophysics Department, TashiTshering is currently a senior at CSM from Bhutan. It’s along way from Bhutan to Golden and during an interviewwith Professor Terry Young, Tashi shared some of his story.

Fulbright scholar Tashi isshown here on the right in tra-ditional Bhutanese dress.

Tashi’s classmates in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

From the Kingdom of Bhutan to Golden

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During the Fall 2003 semester, I studied abroad in Ade-laide, Australia.My decision to take this opportunity earlyin my college career was influenced by a Mines student fromAdelaide. After hearing him talk about Australia, I had apersistent urge to see it for myself. The CSM Office of In-ternational Programs helped me find classes that wouldtransfer, and then I was ready to go.

Upon my arrival in Sydney I found the nearest hostel, un-loaded my stuff, and headed off to see the popular sights:Sydney Harbor, Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera House, andBotanical Gardens. Then I headed to Adelaide to start mystudy abroad. I arrived a week before classes started so thatI could attend the international student orientation consist-ing of class registration and trips to local sites. The nextweek school started. Up to this point I had as much free timeas I desired, which continued for most of the semester.

I had spare time because I only took three classes and“down under” the grading is very different. The grade foreach of my classes was determined by a final exam worth80%. The lack of homework and projects that we so oftenfind ourselves overwhelmed with at Mines left my nightsand weekends open to take in the Australian atmosphere.

Weeknights were spent getting to know the locals downat the pub or just hanging out with the Aussie kids I livedwith. I spent weekends rock climbing in the Adelaide hillsor going to Glenelg Beach. I also tagged along on a few tripswith Australian students heading home for the weekend.During a two-week “spring break” in September, I traveledwith two American students who were also studying in Ade-laide. We planned an expedition to the east coast and thenon to central Australia. We were very lucky to get some goodtips from the locals about unique and obscure places suchas Noosa Beach, north of the touristy Gold Coast. I stayedon the Gold Coast for three days in a city known as Surfer'sParadise before I headed north. We stopped in at the well-

known attractions: Brisbane, Airlie Beach, and Cairns.After the east coast I headed into the “Red Centre” to ex-

perience Ayer's Rock and the rest of the Australian Outback.We also hiked the Olga Mountains and Kings Canyon.

I finally did have to do some schoolwork and I studiedfor a solid week before the final exams. I returned home justbefore Thanksgiving, after one more trip south to the “GreatOcean Road.” By that time my grades had come in and thehard work of studying had paid off.

I made some wonderful new friends in Australia and hadan amazing semester hanging out on the beach. My studyabroad in Australia was one of the best things I have everdone. I recommend it to anyone.

Study Abroad – “One of the Best Things”Thomas (Dylan) Mikesell

A sunset in the Whitsundays nearHamilton Island

Whitehaven Beachin the Whitsunday Islands

Wilpena Pound in the Flinder’sMountains north of Adelaide

Dylan MIkesell (right), Matt Gardine, and Sarah Thompsonshared their study abroad experiences during a meeting ofthe Society of Student Geophysicists. Matt and Sarah stud-ied at Delft University, The Netherlands, another of severalEnglish-speaking Study Abroad programs available to geo-physics students.

The Department encourages students to pursue the op-portunity to study abroad for a semester or full year dur-ing their undergraduate years at CSM. There are severalattractive options for students studying geophysics.

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FIELD

CAMP

EXPLORING FOR

WATER

After years of conducting the GeophysicsSummer Field Camp in South Park, Col-

orado, we tried something new last summer. Inresponse to an invitation from the EdgewoodSoil and Water Conservation District, we spentfour weeks in the Estancia Basin of New Mex-ico applying an assortment of geophysicalmethods to map the local aquifer and to studyits recharge dynamics. One of the big reasonswe went to New Mexico was the invitation wereceived from Vern Wood to stay on his ranch.

He provided the accommodations (tentsfor students), the outdoorshower (one for all 20 or soof us), and he (and hisfriends) butchered a cow anddid all the cooking for us.Can't beat that. With warmhospitality like that, we mayhave to go back one moresummer to make sure we dideverything correctly.

Summer Field Camp Moves to Estancia Basin, New Mexico

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12

INTERNSHIPS

MAKING THE SUMMER COUNT

Student Internships Yield Geophysics Learning (and Fun)

— Jonathan Woolley

Five compa-nies, seven dif-ferent geograph-ic locations,eighteen monthsof industry expe-rience, and loadsof fun – that pret-ty much sums upmy past six sum-mers working inthe wonderfulworld of geo-

physics. It began on a seismic crew the sum-mer following my freshman year at CSM, andI'd do it all again in a heartbeat. So what's thebig deal? Why should every student try to takeadvantage of these wonderful opportunities af-forded to students in the geophysics programhere at CSM? I'm glad you asked!

First of all, in a world where experience canbe the biggest selling point on your CV, theseinternships are invaluable. There is no betterway to see the various aspects of the geophysi-

cal industry, and to decide for yourself whereyou fit in best. My personal experiences havetaken me through all the various aspects of theseismic industry. I've been blessed with the op-portunity to see hydrocarbon exploration firsthand—from stomping geophones in the corn-fields of the San Joaquin River delta to build-ing AVO (seismic) models in the deep waterGulf of Mexico. No class can teach a studentwhat he or she can learn first hand from work-ing on a seismic crew or visiting a deep waterdrilling rig.

If you love to travel, you can’t afford to passup these opportunities. From Central Califor-nia and Southern Mexico to Alaska and Texas,you can see it all. The recreation possibilitiesare as endless as the imagination of a geoscien-tist, which is often quite large. These intern-ships gave me the chance to kayak in the Portof Valdez, hike Kodiak Island, rock climb inNorthern California and New Mexico, raftthrough class-five whitewater, scuba diveCozumel's reefs, and paraglide, to name just afew things. This is way off the fun-meter scale

Jonathan kayaking in the Port of Valdez, Alaska.

The Department ofGeophysics helpsits students findsummer jobs ingeophysics fromfreshman yearonward. Here isone student’s story.

13

INTERNSHIPS

when comparedto your averagecollege summerjob!

If all of theabove fail to con-vince you that asummer job inthe geophysicalindustry is an ex-perience secondto none, considerthis next point. You get paid to do it. I've hadthe chance to work for Western Geophysical,Phillips, Marathon, BP, and Pioneer Natural Re-sources, and these are only a fraction of thecompanies that recruit CSM geophysics stu-dents for summer jobs.

While I believe every geophysics student atCSM can easily find a worthwhile summer job,I leave the reader with a final note of caution:with so many opportunities to pick from, choosewisely, young geophysicist.

With a crew in Tabasco, Mexico.

From sea level atJackaloff Bay (right)

into thin air at ExitGlacier, Alaska

(below).

Rock climbing in New Mexico and

working on a seismiccrew in California.

On the job in the Gulf of Mexicoand diving in Cozumel (below).

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FUTURE

Each summer the Geophysics Fac-ulty spends 2-3 days away from cam-pus on a retreat during which theywrestle with strategic-level issues thatdon’t get sufficient attention duringthe rush of the academic year. Lastsummer’s retreat was a bit different.The entire time was spent on a singleissue: what is the future of appliedgeophysics 5, 10, and 20 years fromnow? A large group of distinguishedvisitors, including the Department’svisiting committee, was invited to jointhe faculty in considering this ques-tion. We thank those who were ableto accept our invitation to participate:

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Front Row: Misac Nabighian, Max Peeters, Craig Beasley, Terry Young, Katherine McCall, Bob Truman, George Wood, AlexKaufman, Yaoguo Li. Back Row: Tagir Galikeev, Peter Annan, Roel Snieder, Vic Labson, Ilya Tsvankin, Dave Hale, JamieRobertson, Adel Zhody, Kevin Furlong, Gary Olhoeft, Matt Haney and Mike Batzle.

Peter Annan, Sensors & SoftwareCraig Beasley, SchlumbergerKevin Furlong, Penn StateDave Hale, Landmark GraphicsMurray Hitzman, CSM (Geology)Vic Labson, USGSKatherine McCall, Univ. Nevada-

RenoJim Payne, Nuevo EnergyJamie Robertson, Rannoch

PetroleumBob Truman, Baker AtlasRoger Turpening, Michigan TechDavid Wald, USGSGeorge Wood, Sercel

Katherine McCall

Dave Hale with graduate student Matt Haney

Jim Payne and Bob Truman

Max Peeters and Jamie RobertsonAdel Zhody, Vic Labson and MisacNabighian

Craig Beasley(left) andGeorge Wood(below)

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So, what does the future hold for applied geo-physics?

At our recent Geophysics Faculty Retreat (seepreceding page), Terry Young addressed thisquestion by presenting ten grand-challengeproblems facing planet Earth (and beyond),which he believes will engage the efforts ofgeophysicists for decades to come:

· Water: providing freshwater for the 20%of Earth's population that lacks it; dealing withdrought in the Western U.S.; and other water-related issues.

· Precision Agriculture: using geophysicaltechniques to assess soil characteristics (mois-ture, salinity) and to evaluate health of cropsand effectiveness of crop treatments.

· Energy: discovering and developing ener-gy resources (conventional/non-renewable and"alternative"/renewable).

· Aging Infrastructures: using geophysicalmethods for non-invasive monitoring of suchthings as aging bridges, roads, railroad beds,tunnels, and natural gas pipelines.

· Geotechnical Engineering: characterizingthe subsurface in advance of engineering activ-ities such as large-scale construction and tun-neling.

· Hazardous Waste: guiding responsibledisposal and isolation of toxic materials.

· Geo-hazards: mitigating the effects of vol-canic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides andsimilar natural hazards.

· Homeland Security: locating, identifying, and mitigating the effectsof unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines; exploring for tunnels andcaves.

· Climate Change: understanding global changes in climate and thecauses, and helping guide mankind's response.

· Planetary Exploration: exploring Mars and beyond.

Gary Olhoeft presenteda list of challenging oppor-tunities in the areas of in-frastructure monitoring,geotechnical engineeringand environmental geo-physics.

Murray Hitzman, CSMDepartment Head for Ge-ology and Geological En-gineering, one of our dis-tinguished visitors at thefaculty retreat, presentedhis vision for geosciencecurriculum reform. Heproposed a multi-discipli-nary, systems approachthat encompasses the issues stemming from interactions among the at-mosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere, and even the human-sphere.

Attendees enjoyed unconstrained, “blue-sky” discussion of a broadspectrum of new developments in science and technology that are likelyto influence future directions in applied geophysics. The discussion sug-gested geophysics will be used increasingly, not only for characterizationof the subsurface, but also for quantification. The solution to importantgeo-problems will derive from an integrated effort of associated disci-plines (such as geophysics, geology, environmental science, civil engi-neering). And the well-equipped geophysicist of the future will be knowl-edgeable in subjects such as economics, business, and public policy.

The Future and Applied Geophysics

Job Outlook for Earth and Space SciencesWe've all heard of the impending, large-scale retirement

of the baby boomer generation, and the anticipated signifi-cant increase in demand for graduates in geophysics andother fields. Citing a report by the American Geological In-stitute, the American Geophysical Union, and the AmericanInstitute of Physics, a recent article in Physics Today (March2004) indicated that today’s geoscience job market is good,but is perceived as bad. Focusing on PhD’s in particular,the article gave these points, among others:

· Starting salaries ranged from less than $35,000 for aca-demic postdocs to $75,000 for industry positions

· Among earth scientists who entered the private sectorin 1999-2002, employment percentages were divided ap-

proximately as follows:– Petroleum industry, 39%– Nongeoscience companies, 20%– Environmental consulting, 16%– Weather and logistics, 5%– Mining, 3%– Other areas, 17%

A report entitled The Earth and Space Science PhDs, Classof 2002, is available on the Web at http://www.aip.org/sta-tistics/trends/reports/agu02.pdf .

NASA/JPL

16

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FUTURE

Abu Dhabi National Oil Companyand CSM: Partners

The Petroleum Institute (PI) in AbuDhabi is now in its third year of exis-tence. The PI was established in 2000in the United Arab Emirates as a co-operative venture between the AbuDhabi National Oil Company (AD-NOC) and four major international oilcompanies : BP/Amoco, Shell, Total,and JODCO.

The ColoradoSchool of Mines(CSM) was se-lected to be theacademic advisorto the PI for thedevelopment ofthe academic andresearch pro-grams. Under anine-year con-tract, CSM's ma-jor responsibili-ties include pro-viding the aca-demic leadershipfor the PI con-cerning curricu-lum, develop-ment of facilities and aca-demic infrastructure, andfaculty recruiting. A keycomponent of the agreementbetween the PI and CSM isthe goal of achieving interna-tional accreditation throughthe Accreditation Board forEngineering and Technology(ABET).

“To have a presence in such a richpart of the world, in relation to energyresources, is invaluable,” statedCSM’s Vice President of AcademicAffairs Nigel Middleton, upon the an-nouncement of the agreement in 2001,“It will increase our visibility in theenergy industries and will provide en-richment for all our programs.”

As of Fall 2003, the PI had approx-

imately 400 students on campus study-ing engineering. Future plans are toadd approximately 250 students eachyear, as construction allows, until theundergraduate enrollment reaches1000. The PI is now operating fromtwo new academic buildings, with athird specialized lab building under

construc-tion. Twomore build-ings – a stu-dent centerand a stu-dent and

facultyrecreationfacility arenow in thefinal stagesof design.

The PIoffers fiveundergrad-

uate engineering degrees includingchemical, electrical, mechanical, pe-troleum and petroleum geosciences.Student exchange programs betweenthe PI, CSM, and other engineeringschools in the US and Europe are alsobeing developed. Planning is under-way for the initiation of graduate stud-ies and research activities, and a newgraduate and research center is in theinitial stages of planning and design.

This year seven current and formerCSM faculty and staff are working atthe PI. Dr. John O. Golden, ProfessorEmeritus of Chemical Engineeringand former Vice President of Acade-mic Affairs at CSM, is in his third yearas Chief Academic Officer of the PI.John's wife Lynne Golden is alsoworking at the PI as a student coun-selor. Dr. Hugh Murphy is in his sec-ond year teaching physics at the PI.

Other faculty and staff this year in-clude:·Dr. Suzanne W. Scott, Englishand STEPS (the PI version of EPICS);Dr. Ronald L. Miller, Chemical Engi-

neering andSTEPS; Ms. DixieTermin, ExecutiveAssistant to theChief AcademicOfficer; Dr. RonaldKnoshaug, Profes-sor of Mathemat-ics;· Dr. Robert M.Baldwin, CSM/PICoordinator andActing Head ofChemical Engi-neering Program.

In addition , Dr. Greg Holden, Depart-ment of Geology and Geological En-gineering, spent a semester at the PIduring Fall 2002.

Our hosts have been gracious andaccommodating and the students arekind, respectful, and appreciative ofour efforts to bring a “Mines-style”education to the UAE. We look for-ward to the future with a sense of an-ticipation and excitement.

The physics lab, Building II (above),and (right) construction of Building IIIfor Junior and Senior Labs, Umm AlNaar campus (November 2003). Stu-dent hostels are shown in the back-ground. Pictured below is an attractivestudy area.

— Robert M. Baldwin

This article is excerpted from MinesMagazine (Spring 2004).

In addition to faculty noted in the ar-ticle, Geophysics professors Davis andYoung contributed to curriculum de-velopment. Professors Davis, Larnerand Peeters have visited the PI. Peetersexpects to spend two semesters there.

17

RESEARCH

Monitoring Colombia’sPipeline Infrastructure

— Tamara Gipprich

The country of Colombia has been losing approximately100 million US dollars annually due to theft along theirstate-controlled, EcoPetrol gasoline pipelines. Space Imag-ing, in Thornton, Colo., was asked to assess the feasibility

of using their IKONOS satellite to monitor activity alongColombia's gasoline infrastructure. Due to herinterest in remote sensing techniques, TamaraGipprich, a geophysics graduate student, with thehelp of Professor Terry Young, assisted SpaceImaging in this study.

Using ERDAS Imagine software provided bySpace Imaging to manipulate the imagery, Tama-ra found that the resolution was sufficient to iden-tify lineations on the ground such as scarringwhere pipelines have been buried. Even with thelimited data coverage available for this project,enhanced IKONOS imagery demonstrated theability to track the pipeline and to offer a meansof general surveillance of the petroleum infra-structure in Colombia.

This study utilized two sets of imagery. Initialstudy began with classifications, enhancementsand interpretation of the city of Barrancaberme-ja, located north of the capital of Bogotá, wherethe above-ground pipeline infrastructure of the

largest oil refinery in the country is readily identifiable.These results were then extrapolated to underground

pipelines and to the second set of imagery in aremote region near the province of Sucre, whereinterpretation became more challenging.

Unfortunately, the limited data used in thisstudy did not provide sufficient coverage to ob-serve an incident of theft along the petroleum in-frastructure. But Tamara has concluded that ex-amination of imagery over the entire pipeline sys-tem would allow for surveillance of known orsuspicious areas of theft. Advanced change-de-tection techniques could then be applied to im-agery of these areas to highlight new and suspi-cious activities.

Space Imaging published a full report of thisproject in their Winter 2003 edition of “ImagingNotes”. Tamara is very excited to have had thechance to work with Space Imaging and cannotwait for the next “remote” opportunity.Classification of the refinery in Barrancabermeja. Above-ground pipelines

and tanks are yellow.

Enhanced image showing the location of a pipeline next to a dirt road.

18

RESEARCH

Avalanche Rescue

Every year, hundreds of people arekilled by snow avalanches. Victimssuffocate to death within the first min-utes after burial. Personal radio trans-ceivers and a partner are the bestmethod for surviving an avalanche.However, most victims are notequipped with a personal transceiveror it is separated from them by theforces of the avalanche. Search andrescue teams are then limited to asearch probe line or rescue dogs.Probe lines require many people andconsume too much time for a success-ful rescue. Rescue dogs are more ef-ficient than the probe line, but havefundamental flaws limiting their effec-tiveness because of the dispersal,masking or trapping of scent. Groundpenetrating radar (GPR) could providea possible solution as snow is an ex-cellent propagation media for GPRwaves and a human body is a highcontrast target relative to snow, serv-ing as an ideal reflector target forGPR. However, it is unknown howGPR will respond to the unfavorablychanging properties as a body freezes,and whether GPR can distinguish ahuman body from other natural andman made objects in the avalanche de-bris field. A body mass equivalent(BME) to a human was buried insnow, and the GPR response and coretemperature were recorded versus timeas the BME froze in a simulated ava-lanche burial. A pig was used as theBME, due to the similarity in proper-ties to that of a human body. The pig

was bought at auction on the way to aslaughterhouse, fed a temperaturemonitoring pill, euthanized by a vet-erinarian, and quickly buried in asnow bank at a cooperating ski area.A variety of other objects (skis, boots,poles, clothing) and temperature sen-sors were also buried nearby. Repeat-ed measurements through several colddays and nights were performed witha ground penetrating radar system.The experimental measurements showthat it takes about 110 hours for the145 pound BME to completely freezewhile buried in snow with an ambienttemperature of -7 °C. Throughout thecourse of the experiment, the BMEcould be uniquely identified relativeto other buried natural and man madeobjects by its imaging GPR signature.Modeling showed this was a conse-

Justin Modroo hard at work collecting data.

quence of a unique wavelet shapechange from constructive and destruc-tive interference occurring in a thinlayer sequence at the BME-air-snowinterface. This resulted from initialbody heat melting of snow, develop-ment of a thin air pocket, and subse-quent refreezing. Thus, GPR has thepotential to image, identify and locatea human body and therefore possiblysave lives, or at a minimum, help re-cover the body without having to waitfor spring thaw. The graduate student,Justin Modroo, is currently investigat-ing snow and avalanche conditions insitu while on the Extreme Freeskiingtour (where he was ranked 3rd inNorth America in 2003), while hisgraduate advisor, Gary Olhoeft, won-ders what will happen next?

…and when pigs ski…Gary Olhoeft

What do you do when astudent says he has to killa pig for his Master'sthesis?

19

RESEARCH

Using Geophysical Techniques to Find Avalanche Victims In the mountainous regions of the

western U.S., numerous outdoor en-thusiasts each winter are caught in av-alanches. Alpine rescue teams haverecently asked the Department of Geo-physics to assist in locating difficult-to-find victims.

Justin Modroo, a graduate studentwith Dr. Olhoeft, recently collectedfundamental data documenting thetemperature history of a BME or‘Body Mass Equivalent’ (pig) buriedin the snow. Justin also demonstratedthe distinctive character of the BMEon Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)data (see article on preceding page).To develop this idea further and addinformation to help discriminate a vic-tim from background debris, DouglasKlepacki, Marc Wennogle, and JordanDimick, all seniors, formed a team tocombine electromagnetic (EM) datawith the GPR.

One problem in identifying victimsis the multitude of other objects alsofound in the avalanche debris field:such as trees, rocks and ice blocks.However, backcountry sports enthusi-asts carry a variety of paraphernalia

with them onto the snowfield. Thesecould include skis, poles, keys, cook-ing equipment, knives, etc. If theseobjects can be detected and identifiedin the debris field, they could bothlead to the victim and help discrimi-

nate them from noise created by theunrelated background objects.

This design team, (un)officiallyknown as NOS Inc. (Nerds on Snow),is working with the Ski Patrol of theLoveland Ski area to test their designunder realistic field conditions. So re-

alistic, in fact,that collectingdata can be a realchallenge. Thephoto shows theprocess of col-lecting GPR datain a snowstorm.Marc and assis-tant Dustin Lancipull their fabri-cated antenna

sled in the back-ground. Mean-

while, Jordan relays instructions fromDoug to the antenna crew (at the topof his lungs) to overcome the windgusts. Doug collects the data, in a pitcovered by the blue tarp (see photo in-set). The pit proved necessary to pre-vent the snow and wind from disrupt-

ing data acquisition (and trashing thecomputer). At the end of the day, re-sisting the urge to leave Doug in thepit, Marc and Jordan opened the pitand retrieved both Doug and theequipment. The example GPR data(shown in the figure) show clearly thelocation of several of the buried metal-lic objects. Many of these items canalso be identified on the EM data.

The Loveland Ski Patrol has beenexceptionally helpful to the team intheir project by locating and protect-ing the test site, and hauling equip-ment up and down the mountain (haveyou ever tried to get an EM61 anten-na on a snowmobile). In fact, one ofthe volunteer members of the patrol,Debbi Miles, a graduate of the Geo-physics Department at CSM, has evenoffered to plant herself in the snow tosimulate a victim. Terry Young is act-ing as their faculty advisor. They arereceiving both advice and encourage-ment from Knox Williams, DaleAtkins, and Halsted Morris of the Col-orado Avalanche Information Center.

Senior Design Project

In the pit covered with blue tarp, Doug (shown in the inset) acquires data as Marcand Dustin pull the GPR antenna sled over a grid of buried objects. Jordan, in hisusual position, performs as middle management, passing along commands.

GPR data of one grid line showing a variety of objects com-monly found with avalanche victims.

— Mike Batzle

20

RESEARCH

RCP Begins New PhaseThe Reservoir Characterization Project is in

the initial stages of a new 2.5-year researchproject. Phase X (ten) will involve time-lapse,multi-component analysis of the Rulison GasField in the Piceance Basin, Colorado. The in-

dustry's demandfor improved natu-ral gas recoveryhas led Phase X toacquire the first 4-D and 9-C seismicsurvey over an un-conventional gasreservoir (2003-05).

The field is op-erated by WilliamsCompany, and iscomposed of gas-bearing channelsands. Solid StateGeophysical Inc.collected the ini-tial 3-D, 9-C sur-

vey in the middle of October, 2003. Two moresurveys will follow the next couple of years, al-lowing for time-lapse analysis.

The goal of RCP Phase X is to create a high-resolution measurement system for monitoring

changes in the rock and gasproperties of the RulisonField. In addition, the designof completion technologiesfor net reservoir recovery isalso a goal of this phase.

To achieve our goals, bothsurface and subsurface 4-Dmulti-component seismic sur-veys are underway. The infor-mation obtained will allow usto understand the subtle frac-ture networks that determinegas migration and accumula-tion.

Phase X is a multidiscipli-nary project with students

from Geophysics, Geology and Petroleum En-gineering. The group is comprised of studentsand faculty with a broad range of backgrounds,education, industry experience and nationali-ties.

Phase X will integrate the time-lapse multi-component seismic data with downhole meas-urements, geologic information, and productiondata to improve reservoir understanding. Veri-tas is processing the initial seismic survey, andCSM geophysics students Lauri Burke andKjetil Jansen will analyze the data. The petro-physical aspect of the project will be worked onby Gaby Briceno and Eugenia Rojas. ChrisGreen is our petroleum engineer and will pur-sue the production data. Michael Ewing isworking on visualization techniques. The geol-ogy is being done by Marielis Vargas, from CUBoulder. The focus of this integration is to pushthe limits of resolution in order to optimize thehydrocarbon recovery, to proactively engineerthe reservoir.

The purpose of the study is to increase gasproduction while minimizing environmental

impact. Key elements of this plan include mon-itoring reservoir depletion using seismicanisotropy, downhole measurements, produc-tion data, and geologic information. Ultimate-ly, this data along with other attributes will beused to create a detailed reservoir model of theRulison Gas Field.

RCP students and Williams Companyemployees discuss the seismic equipment.

Lauri and Kjetil and the vibrator truck that wasthe P-wave source during the Rulison Field seis-mic acquisition.

Graduate students Lauri Burke and KjetilJansen discuss some of the initial sur-vey results with Dr. Tom Davis during arecent seismic acquisition at RulisonField, CO.

— Kjetil Jansen

21

RESEARCH

PALOver the last few years, students and faculty in the Physi-

cal Acoustics Lab (led by Professor John Scales) have de-veloped a unique capability to measure acoustic and ultra-sonic wave motion in a completely non-contacting fashionusing lasers to both excite and detect the waves. Scanningthe surface allows us to measure the entire wavefield, pluswe can make measurements in hostile environments, suchas ovens or vacuum chambers. Naturally, there is consider-able interest in extending this technology to the field.

A new project funded by the Army Research Office aimsto do just that. Our goal is to use state-of-the-art optical,

acoustical and microwave tech-nology to look for buried landmines from stand-off distances.According to the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross inGeneva, land mines around theworld claim a victim every 20minutes. The UN estimates it

will take $33 billion and 1,100 years to clear all the minedareas in the world with current technology.

Here is a simple example of how seismic-frequency par-ticle motion can be measured remotely with a home-mademicrowave Doppler vibrometer. Shown in the picture is a24 GHz microwave transceiver with horn antenna (the pen-ny is for scale). The transmitted and reflected signals are

mixed internally and the target motion is output as an audiosignal that can be viewed on an oscilloscope.

Next we tested a low-power commercial parametric ar-ray as a non-contacting seismic source. Unlike a conven-

Explosive Efforts inLand-mine Detection

tional loudspeaker, which would be effectively a pointsource below 400 Hz or so, the parametric array emits atightly collimated beam of ultrasound that is down-convert-ed to acoustic frequencies via a nonlinear coupling of theultrasound in the air. Next to the parametric array there is

no audible sound. Above is an experimental setup with the parametric array

insonifying a block of sandstone. The resulting particle ve-locity is measured with a laser vibrometer. These results arefor a 600 Hz driving frequency on the parametric array.

In order to achieve the best results in the field, we are in

the process of building a high-power, focusable parametricarray as a non-contacting seismic source, as well as robustdetectors using microwaves and lasers.

Physical Acoustics Lab

The picture at the top of the page was taken using PAL’s Mir-rorTronTM multiple-scattering lens. To the sharp eye, the pic-ture includes a self portrait of John Scales.

22

JUST

FOR

FUN

Celebration of Mines

Bowling Night

Graduate Student Retreat

SSG Lunch

Ice Skating Party

Having Fun in GeophysicsHaving Fun in Geophysics

GP Day 2003GP Day 2003

23

JUST

FOR

FUN

Picnic: Unpredictable weather & unpredictable students

Banquet

24

HONORS

&

AWARDS

Ken has sight-seeing opportunities while in Moscow. He isshown here with Michele Tura (wife of Ali Tura, Shell E &P), Mary Fleming (SEG) and Jim Gaiser (WesternGeco).

Tom LaFehr celebrates with his wife, Arlys, and son, Ed,during the Geophysics Department graduation luncheonMay 9, 2003.

GP Faculty HonorsKen Larner Receives Prestigious Russian Award

Tom LaFehr Awarded CSM DistinguishedAchievement Medal

Cecil H. Green Professor Ken Larner, was presented thePetr L. Kapitsa Gold Medal, the highest award given by theRussian Academy of Natural Sciences (RAS).

The award was made in recognition of Ken’s distinguishedcontributions to geoscience, the theory and practice of seis-mic methods and his humanitarian activities during his 33-year career.

Ken attended the International Conference and ExhibitionMoscow 2003 during September to receive the award, whichis named for Petr Kapitsa who received the Nobel Prize inPhysics in 1978 for his basic inventions and discoveries inthe area of low-temperature physics.

In addition to this honor, Ken is a Foreign Fellow at RASand was awarded the Maurice Ewing Gold Medal in 1996by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Geophysics Department Distinguished Senior ScientistTom LaFehr was presented a Distinguished AchievementMedal by the Colorado School of Mines during the May 2003commencement ceremonies.

Tom is a leading scientist and spokesman for potential-field methods in exploration geophysics. He earned a M.S.in geophysical engineering at CSM in 1962. Shortly after re-ceiving a PhD from Stanford, he became a partner in a small,company in Houston (Gravity Meter Exploration Company)and later held the George Brown Professorship at CSM.

He founded two companies, EDCON, a geophysical firmspecializing in gravity and magnetic data acquisition, bore-hole gravity, and slimhole mineral logging; and LCT, Inc.,which at the time he was Chairman and CEO, performed ma-rine gravity surveys and developed GPS-based technologyto acquire gravity data in fixed-wing aircraft. During thistime, he also authored or co-authored several scientific pa-pers that broke new ground in his areas of expertise.

Active in the SEG, Tom served as editor of Geophysics(1972-73) and as President (1983-84). In 1997, he receivedthe SEG’s Maurice Ewing Gold Medal.

25

HONORS

&

AWARDS

VANESSA MITCHELL FIRST FROMCSM TO EARN CHURCHILLSCHOLARSHIP

Geophysics senior Vanessa Mitchell has been awarded aWinston Churchill Foundation Scholarship to study nextyear at Churchill College, Cambridge University. This is thefirst time a CSM student has been recognized by theChurchill Foundation.

Vanessa will graduate from CSM in May 2004 with a dou-ble major in geophysical engineering and in economics andbusiness, and with a minor in public affairs for engineers.

She is a student in the Guy T. McBride Honors Program atCSM and was elected by her peers as 2003-04 president ofthe Society of Student Geophysicists. Vanessa entered CSMas class valedictorian of the Air Academy High School inColorado Springs, a Colorado Boettcher Scholar and a Na-tional Merit Scholar. She spent a semester studying eco-nomics and management abroad at the Ecole Nationale desPonts et Chaussees in Paris.

Vanessa has gained on-the-job experience through sum-mer internships with Western Geco and with Dawson Geo-physical. She has participated in the Undergraduate Re-search Opportunity Program at the University of Colorado,Boulder.

At Cambridge, Vanessa will earn an MPhil in Fluid Flow,after which she plans to enter Stanford University’s Ph.D.program in environmental geophysics. She is particularlyinterested in acquifer characterization.

Vanessa gives credit for the Churchill scholarship awardto the Geophysics Department professors and staff who wereso supportive of her through the application process. “I’vealways felt that I had the full weight of the Department be-hind me over the last four years,” states Vanessa.

In case you might think that academics consume Vanes-sa’s full attention, you should know that she also danceswith the Academy of Colorado Ballet in Denver and mayalso be found rock climbing, snowboarding or being a typi-cal “Colorado college kid.”

Congratulations, Vanessa, on a job well done!

• GP alumnus Tariq Alkhalifah (PhD , 1997) receivedthe 2003 Conrad Schlumberger Award from the EuropeanAssociation of Geoscientistsand Engineers.

This award is “for his highlysignificant contributions overthe past decade and, particular-ly, for his elegant insight intodetails of seismic anisotropywhich established well definedprinciples in seismic processingand led to a considerable en-hancement in data quality, forhis originality in thought andfor his indomitable spirit.”

Tariq is at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technol-ogy (KACST), Saudi Arabia.

• GP alumnus Edward Jenner (PhD 2001) received the2003 SEG J. Clarence Karcher Award. The award was giv-en to Ed “in recognition of his contributions to the technol-ogy of exploration geophysics in the area of azimuthal 3Dseismic processing with emphasis on the relationships of az-imuthal variations of AVO attributes and velocity to reser-voir properties.” While at CSM, Ed studied with the Reser-voir Characterization Project (RCP). He remains in Denverand is employed by GMG/AXIS.

• GP Professor Ilya Tsvankin and Vladimir Grechka ofShell International (formerly research associate with theCenter for Wave Phenomena) received Honorable Mentionfrom the SEG in the Best Paper category for their paper, “PP+ PS = SS,” which appeared in the Nov/Dec 2002 issue ofGEOPHYSICS.

• GP and RCP alumnus Reynaldo Cardona (PhD 2002)was also honored by the SEG with the 2002 Best StudentPaper Award. Reynaldo is currently employed by Chevron-Texaco.

• The work of the Reservoir Characterization Project, di-rected by Tom Davis, was highlighted in the July 2003 is-sue of The Leading Edge.

NOT MEANING TO BRAG...Our faculty, students and former students often receive

prestigious awards that reflect positively on the Geo-physics Department. Here are a few recent noteworthyachievements.

Tariq Alkhalifah

26

GRADUATEION

Graduation 2003

Maria Gabriela (Gaby) Briceno, MS. 2003-04 SSG officers: John Chakalis,Emily Roland, and Paul Schwering.(Not pictured: Vanessa Mitchell andTanya Slota.

GP Celebration Masters of CeremonyTerry Young and Sara Summers

Budi Muiz, Professional Master’s.

All dressed up: Professors Ken Larnerand Tom Boyd.

Prof. Tom LaFehr Displays the CSMDistinguished Achievement Medal.

Congratulations! Seniors receiving Bachelor of Science Degrees during the Spring ceremonies were Greg Nelson, EmilyKing, Jessica Sigala, Katie Baker, Julia Oakes and Michael Root. Not pictured here: Luke Bernhardt and Amy Bean.

27

GRADUATION

2003 Graduates

B.S. DegreeOmar W. Al-KharoufKathleen L. BakerAmy Lynn BeanLuke Constant BernhardtEmily Rose KingGregory Kent NelsonSarah Anne NolanJulia Dorean OakesJonathan Allen RobertsMichael John-Paul RootJessica Valerie Sigala

M.S. and M.E. DegreesMaria Gabriela BricenoKumar GautamKathleen McKinleyKristen W. Sneddon

Professional Master’sDegrees(Petroleum Reservoir Systems)

Budi Abdul Muiz

Ph.D. DegreeAlbena A. MateevaAndrés PechDebashish SarkarKasper van Wijk

Representatives of the GPClass of ‘53 welcomed theSpring ‘03 graduates as newCSM alumni. Front row left toright: Vernon Adams, DickBank and Al Sabitay. Backrow: Gordon Wieduwilt,George Minick, Jorge E.Castillo and Jack Parkin.

GUY H. TOWLE

As we went to press withthis newsletter, we weresaddened to learn of thedeath of our colleague,Professor Emeritus GuyH. Towle. Guy receivedhis PhD from CSM in1978.

Jonathan Roberts, BS degree.

PhD recipients Kasper van Wijk andAlbena Mateeva with their advisorJohn Scales.

Advisor Ilya Tsvankin with PhD recipi-ent Debashish Sarkar.

Sarah Nolan, BS degree

Class of ‘53 Class of ‘53 Class of ‘53 Class of ‘53

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Department of GeophysicsColorado School of Mines1500 Illinois StreetGolden, CO 80401-1887

Nonprofit Organization

U.S. Postage PaidGolden, Colorado

Permit No. 7

The Center for Wave Phenomena Marks 20 YearsThis year the

Center for WavePhenomena(CWP) is cele-brating 20 yearssince its found-

ing on the CSM campus.The Center and its Consortium (sup-

ported by industry and governmentsponsors) was founded by a group ofapplied mathematicians, led by NormBleistein, who moved from the Uni-versity of Denver to CSM in 1984.

The CWP faculty has evolved overthe years, but gained a decidedly in-terdisciplinary nature when Geo-physics faculty members Ken Larner(current center director) and DaveHale joined the group in 1989.

CWP is noted for research contribu-tions over a broad range of problemareas of fundamental importance toexploration seismology. These areasinclude aspects of seismic imaging —migration/inversion, estimation ofelastic parameters, processing and in-terpretation of moveout and amplitude

that takes anisotropy into account, im-aging and velocity estimation in thepresence of caustics, optimization,statics estimation and correction,analysis and interpretation of multi-ply-scattered waves for changes insubsurface properties, to name a few.

While maintaining and expanding

CWP faculty: Ilya Tsvankin, Ken Larner, Martijn de Hoop, Roel Snieder, and NormBleistein.

their research activities, the focus of theCWP faculty is to educate and nurturetheir students in an open and friendlyatmosphere. To date 59 students haveearned graduate degrees under CWPsupport and are making contributionsto the industry and academia world-wide. Happy Anniversary, CWP.