Meet Emilio Jose Torres Parada. Emilio, a student at the University of Oklahoma, received a 2013 Grants-in-Aid award thanks to the Jon R. Withrow Named Grant. Because of his tremendous success with his research on unconventional gas shale assessment of the La Luna Formation in South America, Emilio was awarded the John R. Withrow Named grant two years in a row.

While Emilio may just have begun to carve out his place in the field of geoscience, he has been working hard to gain a wide range of work experience in the field of petroleum geology. He recently spent a summer interning with Halliburton, and was involved in tasks such as generating the reservoir characterization and modeling of the Woodford shale in Anadarko basin, Oklahoma, developing 3D seismic interpretations with calculations of volumetric seismic attributes, velocity model analysis, seismic time-to-depth conversion, and creating a sequence stratigraphy characterization and correlations. He also worked on sequence boundaries and system tracts for 3D mapping, generating a geological and structural geology 3D mapping and geomechanical characterization of reservoir intervals for possible geosteering and hydraulic fracking planning, as well as working on prospect development.

It is projects like these that excite donors like Jon R. Withrow. Mr. Withrow, a long time AAPG member and AAPG Foundation Trustee Associate, is a consistent supporter of the grant that bears his name. Mr. Withrow, along with his wife Cathryn, avidly supports undergraduate and graduate scholarships for college students, allowing many the opportunities to fund their dreams in the geosciences. Mr. Withrow fondly remembers what it was like to work and study as a young petroleum geology student, and enjoys being able to now offer assistance to dedicated students who excel in their fields. The AAPG Foundation is so very thankful for his continued support.

Prior to receiving a GIA award, Emilio worked as a consultant geologist for Colombian Petroleum Institute, an exploration geologist for the Colombian National Hydrocarbon Agency, and as an associate geology professor at Universidad Industrial de Santander, Colombia. He’s has provided support in evaluation of the exploratory risk in the Colombian Caribbean offshore basins, been responsible for the evaluation of thermogenic and biogenic gas potential in the Colombian Caribbean and Brazilian Atlantic offshore and onshore basins, and teamed with exploratory prospects in the Colombian and Brazilian offshore basins through integrated basin modeling.

Emilio is an active member of AAPG, Founder and Former President of the Universidad Industrial de Santander Colombian Section, Former chairman of Young Professionals in Latin America Region and current liaison for Latin America Student Chapters. Join us in wishing Emilio all the best with his graduate studies and his future profession in the field of petroleum geology.