ANNUAL REPORT - The Petroleum Institute

The Petroleum Institute | Annual Report - Academic Year 2011 - 2012
The department hosted a number of
presentations by distinguished guest lecturers.
Petroleum Geosciences faculty and students
have contributed to the local and international
academic and professional community
with lectures and presentations, and the
international visibility of the department
continued to grow through a range of scholarly
activities.
Dr. Thomas Steuber
Chairman and Professor
Petroleum Geosciences
II. Changes, Accomplishments,
and New Activities
New Staff and Faculty
Muhammad Asim Iqbal joined the PI from King
Abdullah University
of Science and
Technology (KAUST),
Saudi Arabia. He
earned a MSc degree
in Geophysics from
the Quaid-i-Azam
University in Islamabad in 2007, and gained
subsequent experience as a processing
geophysicist and computer programmer. His
interests include seismic stratigraphy, seismic
structural analysis, near surface geophysics
and groundwater research.
Dr. Ayesha Al Suwaidi joined as Assistant
Professor after her
PhD in Earth Sciences
at the University of
Oxford. She earned
an MSc in Geology
from the University
of Kansas. Her
main research interest is in global esozoic
chemostratigraphy in order to understand
major perturbations in the earth’s carbon
cycle. She is also interested in the application
of molybdenum isotopes, carbon and
oxygen isotopes, and biomarkers in order
to understand ancient environments as well
as in using modern geochemical records to
understand regional climatic change in the
Middle East.
Staffing Changes
Dr. Sumana Basu, Research Associate in
the Advanced Geophysical Technologies in
Carbonates project completed her assignment
and assumed a position with CGG Veritas. Mr.
James Small, Senior Laboratory Engineer, left
the department and is now with ExxonMobil
in Australia.
Dr. Ihsan Al Aasm, Professor in Petroleum
Geosciences, returned to the University of
Windsor, from where he was on leave for three
years.
Dr. Karl Berteussen retired from the PI after
more than nine years of service. He was one
of the ‘founding fathers’ of the Petroleum
Geosciences department and assumed
various roles as professor, department chair,
and retiring as the PI Director of Research.
Awards and Recognition Received
by Faculty
The UAE Commission for Academic
Accreditation (CAA) honored the submission
of Dr. Sandra Vega and Ahmad Hassan entitled
“Participation In Educational Student Programs
Organized By Professional Associations”.
Dr. Mohammed Ali was promoted to Associate
Professor. Drs. Sadoon Morad and Sandra Vega
were invited to serve on the editorial board
of the Journal of Petroleum Exploration and
Production Technology. Dr. Stephen Lokier
guest co-edited a special issue of the journal
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