Joe
Geophysicist, Chevron
B.S. EAS 2009; Ph.D. EAS 2014
Estep
Joe
Chevron, Earth Science Division
Houston, Texas
Please briefly describe your current job
We specialize in generating depth image volumes of subsalt hydrocarbon prospects in deep water environments for exploration and appraisal.
What is your favorite part of your current position
It's fascinating to be involved in projects of such massive scale (both physically & financially), and being on the far upstream end allows me to observe how our work and products are implemented as a project progresses.
How did your EAS education prepare you for your current job?
I've honestly found utility in courses I took across the gamut in terms of geophysics vs. geochemistry vs. planetary science vs. computer science. It's probably no surprise that, being in the oil & gas industry, I do lean more heavily on skills from the geophysics, geofluids, and computing courses. But I think the best preparation I received from my EAS education is diversity: of thought and culture. I learned effective approaches for problem solving and critical thinking, and that rote memorization isn't adequate for addressing many real questions. Also, EAS consists of and embraces a melting pot of cultures and ideologies - which is what a thriving global community looks like. Exposure to cultural diversity via EAS was a tremendous help towards growth of perspective and understanding
What do you wish you had known as an EAS undergraduate in order to land the job of your dreams?
At the time I felt like networking was just a buzz word that didn't really mean anything - it turns out, networking is quite important! When I started at Chevron, I found out that it's rare to get an industry position without having any internships - so, I would encourage both undergraduate and graduate students to pursue those opportunities if interested in industry positions.