I am a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, Central Energy Resources Science Center (CERSC) in Lakewood, Colorado.
I am field geologist integrating tectonics and sedimentation in developing predictive geological rules that govern sedimentary systems. Since 1990, I have directed integrated outcrop and subsurface studies, first as a researcher at the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), at the University of Texas at Austin (1990-1994), and later as tenured faculty at the Colorado School of Mines (1995-2005), and Montana State University, Bozeman (2005-2015). I founded and was the Principal Investigator of joint industry-academic research conducted by the Slope and Basin Consortium and Geological Analogs and Information Archive (GAIA) project. I was a principal in establishing and directing the initial research conducted by the Chevron Center of Research Excellence at the Colorado School of Mines. I have advised nineteen graduate students conducting field-based studies across the western U.S. and in Mexico, New Zealand, France, Italy, and Spain. I have delivered ten invited keynote presentations, received four best paper awards, and was the 2008-2009 AAPG Distinguished Lecturer. I have conducted presentations and short courses in eleven countries and published hundreds of papers, abstracts, reports and field guidebooks.
Honors and Awards
Fast-Track Tenure Appointment, Montana State University, September, 2006
Early Tenure Appointment, Colorado School of Mines, April, 2004
Best of AAPG Presentations, Denver Annual Meeting, 2001
PBS-SEPM Noon Luncheon Program, Best Paper Award, 1999-2000
AAPG Annual Meeting, SEPM Excellence of Oral Presentation, 1998
PBS-SEPM Noon Luncheon Program, Best Paper Award, 1996-1997
PBS-SEPM Noon Luncheon Program, Best Paper Award, 1995-1996
AAPG Annual Meeting, SEPM Best Paper Award Honorable Mention, 1996
West Texas Geological Society, Best Poster Award, 1992
AAPG, Grant in Aid of Research
SEPM, Donald L. Smith Research Grant
Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey, Student Research Grant
Sigma XI Grant in Aid of Research
Petroleum Research Fund Fellow
NAGT/USGS, Geology Field Camp Award
NROTC Scholarship