WEBINAR: Members in Transition Seminar #49 co-hosted with AAPG

Speaker #1 Title:  Co-Founder and President

Speaker #1 Company: Tri-D Dynamics

Speaker #1 Bio: Alex Finch is the co-founder and president of Tri-D Dynamics, an early-stage, venture-backed hardware startup based out of Silicon Valley.  The company is focused on providing instant downhole data and power to operators through a proprietary smart casing product.  Alex holds a B.S. in Structural Engineering from University of California, San Diego as well as a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University.  First getting involved with "deep tech / hard tech" in his early college years, Finch was an early member of the first university group to design, build, and hotfire test a 3D-printed rocket engine in 2013.  He then went on to co-found Tri-D Dynamics while a graduate student, basing the company off novel 3d printing technology to embed sensors in metal, that he developed with his co-founder.  After brief stints working in the aerospace industry for NAVAIR and The Aerospace Corporation on 3d printing for military fighter jets and rockets, Alex went full-time with Tri-D Dynamics to help build out smart, connected infrastructure in the Oil and Gas industry and beyond.

Speaker #1 Abstract: Innovation Forged from Turmoil

Throughout recent history, we have seen some of the greatest innovations and ideas forged during economic and market downturns. Uber and Airbnb were started in the turmoil and uncertainty of the Great Recession.  Pressure creates diamonds.  Contrary to popular belief, learn how uncertain times may be the most optimal opportunity for turning to entrepreneurship and innovation.  Tri-D Dynamics is an early-stage, venture-backed hardware startup focused on providing instant downhole data and power to operators through our proprietary smart casing product.

Speaker #2 Title: Global Director of Energy

Speaker #2 Company:  NVIDIA

Speaker #2 Bio: Marc Spieler is the Global Director of the Energy Industry for NVIDIA, an accelerated computing leader based in Santa Clara, CA.  Marc spent 13 years with Halliburton, where he held leadership positions in Commercial and Strategic Alliances, Technology Operations, Customer Financial Services, and Corporate Development.  Marc worked for Silicon Graphics, Inc. where he held a variety of sales and business development roles in the energy vertical.  Marc holds an MBA from Rice University and a MS in Professional Development and Leadership as well as BS in Marketing from Winona State University in Minnesota. 

Speaker #2 Abstract: Digitally Transforming your Career

As the world becomes more autonomous and technology capabilities increase, are we as leaders clinging to the tools of the past, or are we doing what is necessary to accelerate our own digital transformation?  Our industry learned the hard way that we cannot continue to operate as we have for decades, and the COVID pandemic made clear the immediate need for digital transformation. Critical transformation components like managing operations remotely cannot be achieved until domain experts start building, training, and trusting these Artificial Intelligence based models to support high risk operations. Developing the skills and competencies to develop machine and deep learning models can accelerate your career as companies look to tools like natural language processing, intelligent video analytics, and recommender engines to quickly access information, reduce risk, and increase operational efficiency.  These skill sets are also highly transferable, making you more valuable both inside our industry and across industries. 

Speaker #3 Title: Owner

Speaker #3 Company: Rock Whisperer LLC

Speaker #3 Bio: Edith Newton Wilson, PhD, works to engage emerging professionals in energy solutions for a changing world. With degrees from Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins, Edith is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and the Geological Society. Her global career began with Amoco, bp, and Phillips, and culminated in founding Rock Whisperer, a renewable energy and climate mitigation consultancy.  

Speaker #3 Abstract: It All Comes from the Ground: Opportunities in the Energy Transition

As the energy transition unfolds, subsurface professionals will encounter a landscape of opportunities that include carbon capture and storage, geothermal development, and accessing critical minerals. The rise of the circular economy will also drive job growth in energy management, advanced materials, and recycling. Our creativity and thirst for discovery remain valuable tools in the hunt for vital materials.