2024 MicroSeismic User Forum Registration

Rutt Bridges

Former Chevron Corporation, founded Advance Geophysical, Chairman of Quest Capital

Rutt Bridges is an author, keynote speaker, and serial entrepreneur. He earned degrees in physics and geophysical sciences from Georgia Tech and was named the 2017 Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Alumnus of the Year. Rutt serves on their College of Sciences Advisory Board, the Colorado Department of Transportation Innovisers Council, and the Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) Autonomous Vehicle Task Force. He is a past chair of Colorado Public Radio and past president of the 30,000-member Society of Exploration Geophysicists. After moving to Denver in 1980, Rutt founded Advance Geophysical, which was later acquired by Landmark Graphics. He then founded Colorado’s Bighorn Center for Public Policy, and later briefly ran for U.S. Senate, stepping aside to support then-Attorney General and later Interior Secretary Ken Salazar after the incumbent dropped out. Since exiting a successful analytics software startup three years ago, Rutt has focused on research to understand the economic and social impact of disruptive technologies. His 2015 book, “Driverless Car Revolution,“ predicted many details of the rapid advances in autonomy we see today. His new book, “Our Driverless Future: Heaven or Hell?,” presents a practical implementation strategy that virtually eliminates congestion while saving America over a trillion dollars a year. Much of that savings goes to commuters who switch from driving alone to sharing free on-demand door-to-door driverless mobility. This reinvented public transit is paid for by reallocating America’s existing bus subsidies, which on average pay 80% of the cost of the bus ride.

Dr. Seth Dobrin

CEO & Founder, Qantm.ai

Dr. Seth Dobrin is an accomplished global executive and strategist at the forefront of artificial intelligence, data science, and digital transformation.

As IBM’s first-ever Global Chief AI Officer from 2016-2022, Dr. Dobrin spearheaded the development and execution of IBM’s pioneering 5-year AI strategy. He was personally responsible for IBM’s extensive AI product portfolio, services, marketing, and ecosystem partnerships.

Before IBM, Dr. Dobrin served in various executive roles at Monsanto from 2006-2016. As Chief Data and Digital Officer, he championed a widespread digital and data-driven cultural transformation that created over $20B in value. As Molecular Breeding Lead, he industrialized breakthrough technologies that became best practices for the industry.

In 2022, Dr. Dobrin founded Qantm AI, bringing a human-first, value-based enterprise AI methodology honed over 15+ years of transforming Fortune 500 companies.

Dr. Dobrin is a seasoned advisor guiding executive teams and boards on technology strategy, innovation, talent development, and governance. He currently serves on the advisory boards of numerous organizations, including the XPrize Foundation, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and Wonder Women Tech.

In 2023 Dr. Dobrin founded the non-profit Responsible AI-iQ to promote AI education for non-technical . He also teaches AI Ethics and Safety courses as an adjunct professor at CUNY Baruch.

Dr. Dobrin holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Statistical Genetics from Arizona State University, where he pioneered machine learning techniques for genetics analysis. He has co-authored over 30 seminal papers on topics ranging from automation in biomedicine to privacy in AI.

With decades of experience leading through transformative technological change, Dr. Dobrin offers boards invaluable strategic advising at the intersection of business, technology, ethics, and progress.

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Richard Esposito

Southern Company, R&D Program Manager – Geosciences & Carbon Management, Research & Development

Richard is a veteran of the electrical utility industry and has served in various leadership roles over the last 30 years at Southern Company. He is current the R&D Program Manager for Geosciences and Carbon Management in the Net Zero Technologies Group at the National Carbon Capture Center. Prior to Southern Company, he served as an environmental regulator in the Water Division at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Richard is a subject matter expert with a wide range of policy, technology, and regulatory issues related to carbon capture and storage. He has a diverse academic background with a B.S. and M.S. degree in Geology, a M.S. in Environmental Management, and a Ph.D. in Engineering. He also serves on the Ph.D. research faculty, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  He has published extensively and lectured internationally on a wide range of energy-related issues.

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Trevor Richards

Assistant Director for Geophysics, Energy & Environmental Research Center

Trevor L. Richards is an Assistant Director for Geophysics at the EERC, where he works with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, business professionals, and project partners to solve challenges related to incremental oil recovery (IOR), unconventional oil recovery, and CO₂ capture, utilization, and geologic storage (CCUS). He holds an M.S. degree in Geophysics and a B.S. degree in Geology from the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to his position at the EERC, Mr. Richards served as a Geophysical Advisor at Chesapeake Energy. 

Mr. Richards and his family live in McKinney, Texas, where he and his wife work remotely. This has given them more time to support their kids’ school activities and sports, which has been a tremendous blessing.

Mr. Richards’ principal areas of interest include exploring efficiencies in seismic planning, acquisition, and design and investigating utilization of the latest technologies for improving development and appraisal of conventional and unconventional targets. His areas of expertise include dynamic reservoir management, surveillance of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and characterization and monitoring associated with CCUS projects; implementing time-lapse geophysics; and improving application and integration of seismic for reservoir characterization. 

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Barry Smitherman

Chairman, Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance

Barry Smitherman is the founder of the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance and currently serves as the organization’s Chairman.  Since 2016, Barry has been an adjunct professor of Texas Energy Law at the University of Texas School of Law. 

Barry served on the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) from 2011 through 2014 and was Chairman of the Commission from March 2012 through August 2014. Prior to the Railroad Commission, Barry served on the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) from April 2004 through July 2011 and served as Chairman of the PUCT from 2007-2011.  He is the only person in Texas history to have chaired both organizations. 

Smitherman is the founder and Managing Partner of Smitherman + Associates and 6S Capital Group. He is a consultant and active private investor in the Texas energy space.  He has also served on the U.S. DOE Electricity Advisory Committee, the Board of Directors of NARUC, Chairman of the NARUC Gas Committee, the ERCOT Board of Directors, and the Regional State Committee of the Southwest Power Pool. 

Currently, Barry serves on the Board of Directors of CenterPoint Energy, Inc, a Houston-based electric and gas utility.  In 2021, CNP was the best performing utility stock in America.  He previously served on the Board of NRG Energy, Inc., a large independent power producer which also owns a number of retail electric providers. In 2017, NRG was the best performing stock in the S&P 500. 

Barry is also the Chairman of BIG (Brookwood in Georgetown), a non-profit which provides work, artistic, and housing opportunities for special needs adults in central Texas.  Prior to beginning public service, Barry spent 16 years as an investment banker holding leadership positions with J.P. Morgan Securities, First Boston, and Banc One Capital Markets (now part of JP MorganChase), where he was a Managing Director and National Head of the Tax-Exempt Origination Group.

Barry received his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, his M.P.A. from Harvard University, and his B.B.A. summa cum laude from Texas A&M University.

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Bridget Silva

Geothermal Rising Policy Committee

Bridget Silva is an accomplished leader with over two decades of experience in energy technology commercialization. Her career has spanned multiple facets of the industry, from technology giants such as Hewlett Packard and Lockheed Martin to pioneering geothermal startups like Criterion Energy Partners. Currently, she serves as the Head of Commercial Strategy for the Americas at Baseload Capital, a prominent player in the geothermal investment and development community.

Bridget’s passion for advancing sustainable energy solutions extends beyond her corporate roles. She has been a stalwart contributor to Geothermal Rising, an organization dedicated to the promotion of geothermal energy. In various capacities, Bridget has lent her expertise, serving as the Chair for the Geothermal Rising Conference 2023 Plenary Committee and acting as the founding Champion of the Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma Regional Interest Group. A staunch advocate for progressive policies that foster sustainable energy practices, Bridget has worked diligently with the Geothermal Rising Policy Committee and the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance to drive legislative change at both regional and federal levels.

Bridget holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Baylor University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and International Banking from Texas A&M University.

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Ken Wisian

Associate Director, Environmental Division, Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin

Ken Wisian, Ph.D., Major General USAF (retired), Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Austin, is a geophysicist whose main research is in geothermal systems. Other current research includes; planetary geology/space exploration, SETI, disasters and infrastructure resiliency, and international relations. He teaches Life in the Universe and Geothermal Systems at the University of Texas. General Wisian, a navigator/bombardier, flew bombers, transports and fighters, and is a graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School. He has combat time in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia and his combat medals include the Bronze Star and Air Medal.

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Daniel Samake

Geophysicist, Shell

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Susan Nash

Director of Innovation, Emerging Science and Technology at AAPG

Susan Nash is Director of Innovation, Emerging Science and Technology at AAPG. In her role, Susan works to identify products, services, companies and individuals doing innovative work, and to facilitate collaborative transfers of knowledge, skills, and ideas.  Susan earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma.