Mark Zoback Recognized for Contributions to the Public Understanding of Geoscience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Maureen Moses (mmoses@americangeosciences.org)

9/23/2016

 

Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute is pleased to recognize Stanford University's Mark Zoback for his contributions to the public understanding of geoscience. He has made outstanding and seminal contributions towards advancing the fields of earthquake physics and reservoir geomechanics to solve wide-ranging problems of scientific, engineering and economic importance. 

 

Zoback began his career by studying geophysics at the University of Arizona. He spent two years working as a geophysicist in the oil industry before continuing his geophysical studies at Stanford, earning a Master's degree and a Ph.D. Following his studies, he spent nine years at the U.S. Geological Survey. He joined Stanford University in 1984 and is currently the Benjamin M. Page Professor in Earth Sciences; a Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford; and the Director of the Stanford Natural Gas Initiative. He also co-founded GeoMechanics International.

 

His research has been key in the development of methods for the determination of in situ stresses in the Earth's crust. In his early career, he carried out the first experimental studies of the relationship between permeability and the evolution of fracture arrays in deforming rocks. Working with Mary Lou Zoback, he developed the first intraplate stress maps of the U.S. and North America which eventually led to the development of the World Stress Map Project, which shed new light on the dynamics of contemporary plate motions. He was also one of the principal investigators on the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth Project where the physics of faulting was investigated. More recently, his contributions have greatly influenced issues related to new hydrocarbon development.

 

Many recognize the importance of his book, Reservoir Geomechanics, now in its 12th printing. In it, he integrates the fields of structural geology, rock mechanics and petroleum engineering with application to problems in the oil and gas field. Additionally, his rigorous research portfolio has been maintained for over three decades as author or co-author on over 300 technical papers resulting in over 6,500 research citations.

 

Zoback has volunteered his time generously to many organizations within the sciences. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and is recognized as a fellow in the American Geophysical Union, the American Rock Mechanics Association, the Geological Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Society of Exploration Geophysicists has named him an Honorary Member and he is an Honorary Fellow at the European Union of Geosciences. Most recently, he served on the committee that investigated the root causes for the Deepwater Horizon blowout and resulting oil spill.  He also served on the Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board Natural Gas Subcommittee. He has been, and continues to be, recognized for his scientific, business and political acumen. 

 

This award is presented to individuals, or organizations, for contributions that have led to a greater public understanding of the role that geosciences play in the affairs of society. The cited contribution will be for work in the geosciences as a scientist, non-geoscientist, organization or institution that is geoscience, or non-geoscience, in character, and has significant impact, or improved understanding of, the contributions that the geosciences make to society. Previous recipients may be viewed at: http://www.americangeosciences.org/awards/publicunderstanding.

 

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The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.