SnapShot:

Bachelor's from Emory University, Atlanta, GA and Master’s from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Consulting Petroleum Geologist, Morgantown, WV

Active in AAPG (1984), PROWESS, House of Delegates, Youth Education Activities, IBA, Distinguished Lecturer, EMD

AAPG committees: Advisory Council, HoD, HoD Nominations, Honors and Awards, Resolutions, Secretary/Editor; PROWESS, Committee Oversight Committee, Youth Education Activities, Student Job Fair, Imperial Barrel Award Eastern Section Coordinator, Mentoring, Committee on Statistics of Drilling, VGP, Ad Hoc Survey, Ad Hoc Domestic Sections, EMD Outreach and Exhibits, Eastern Section Officer, Eastern Section Honors and Awards Committee, Eastern Section Future Meetings Committee

PROWESS Committee

Katharine Lee Avary

Childhood ambitions:

To be an archeologist

My Career

Education:

B.S. Geology from Emory University, Atlanta, GA; M.S. Geology from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Companies and Institutions I’ve worked for:

WV Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES), Morgantown, WV, 1978-2010
Consulting Petroleum Geologist, Morgantown, WV 2010-present

Basins I’ve worked:

Appalachian

Years in the petroleum business:

33

My Pathway

First Well/Research Program:

COSUNA project: compiling stratigraphic nomenclature for the Appalachian Basin

My Geo-Specialties:

Stratigraphy and subsurface geology of the Appalachian Basin; unconventional gas resources including coalbed methane and shales

My fondest career memory or proudest moment:

All of the great people I have met over the years, many though AAPG, and being the first woman to receive the Eastern Section AAPG's highest award, the John T. Galey Memorial Award in 2011.

My lifetime career goal:

Be the best geologist I can be.

My Inspiration

My inspiration and motivation comes from:

My mentors, John M. Dennison and Douglas G. Patchen, my colleagues and former student interns and mentorees, and the members of the WVU AAPG Student Chapter.

My most memorable idols/mentors:

John M. Dennison and Douglas G. Patchen

My Impact

AAPG member since:

1984

AAPG committees:

Advisory Council, HoD, HoD Nominations, Honors and Awards, Resolutions, Secretary/Editor; PROWESS, Committee Oversight Committee, Youth Education Activities, Student Job Fair, Imperial Barrel Award Eastern Section Coordinator, Mentoring, Committee on Statistics of Drilling, VGP, Ad Hoc Survey, Ad Hoc Domestic Sections, EMD Outreach and Exhibits, Eastern Section Officer, Eastern Section Honors and Awards Committee, Eastern Section Future Meetings Committee

Society Affiliations:

AAPG, EMD, GSA, SEPM, SPE, NSS, Appalachian Geological Society, Pittsburgh Association of Petroleum Geologists, Pittsburgh Geological Society

My Best Advice

Be a perpetual student; keep learning new things, looking at new rocks, meeting new people and taking on new responsibilities and challenges.