MEET OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Dr. K.M. Strack

Dr. K.M. Strack is president of KMS Technologies specializing in integrated seismic/electromagnetic technology for the energy transition towards zero carbon footprint. In addition, Kurt also has a distinguished academic career in Europe (Germany), Asia (China, Thailand, Indonesia, and India), and USA where he co-supervised many M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and post-docs.

His company pioneers electromagnetic E&P technology. Previously, he was Chief Scientist for Baker Atlas. Kurt also pioneered LOTEM (Transient electromagnetics for hydrocarbon exploration) and advanced borehole logging technologies in Germany, Australia, and the USA. He serves as Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston, Mahidol University Bangkok, and at Yangtze University, Wuhan China, and others.

Kurt received a Ph.D. from University of Cologne and a M.Sc. from Colorado School of Mines. He has over 250 publications and received numerous international grants/awards. He is a member of SPWLA, AAPG, ASEG, BDG, DGG, EAGE, EEGS, GRC, SPE, SEG and TSEG. He was Co-Chair of the Technical program for the IPTC in Bangkok 2012. He served as distinguished lecturer for the SPWLA and SPE.

The Russian Academy of Science elected him a Foreign Member and gave him the Kapitsa Gold Medal of Honor for his innovations to borehole geophysics and pioneering work to surface geophysics. In 2003 he received SEG’s Reginald Fessenden Award. In 2007-2008 he received the SEG’s Presidents Special Services Award. In 2012, Kurt is co-recipient for KMS Technologies’ Cecil H. Green Enterprise Award from the SEG. He is an Honorary Alumnus of University of Cologne.

Dr. Gabriela Badi

Dr. in Geophysics from National University of La Plata (UNLP). Associate Professor of Physics of the Earth´s Interior and Volcanic Seismology (FCAG-UNLP). Her main research interests are volcano seismology and seismic attenuation. Mainly focused on obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting seismic data for volcano monitoring, she has been working in Andean and Antarctic volcanoes such as Isla Decepción, Copahue, Cotopaxi, Planchón Peteroa, Cuicocha, Sierra Negra and Fuego, among others. She is the head of seismovolcanic monitoring at the Argentine Observatory for Volcanic Surveillance, OAVV-SEGEMAR, and a member of the Technical Commission on Geodynamic Threats from Volcanoes that is part of the Network of Scientific-Technical Organizations for Comprehensive Risk Management (GIRCyT-SINAGIR). Currently co-leading a scientific project on geophysical signal processing, she has participated in more than 20 projects in collaboration with national and foreign institutions, both European and American. She is co-author of numerous research and consulting works, as well as outreach activities. She has directed and co-directed several degree and doctoral thesis, adding up to a total of 17 students to date.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Wilmar Andres Calderon

Mr. Wilmar Calderón-Guevara is a Colombian Geoscientist and Civil Engineer. He obtained his degrees from Universidad de los Andes and he is currently a graduate student at that institution. His research focuses on the development of computational routines to ease the process of decision making. He is interested in studying how modern approaches such as Machine Learning can be used for risk management and infrastructure planning. In his research he is particularly interested in offering novel solutions to assess natural hazards, such as landslides, in mountainous regions as the Andean Cordillera.

Dr. Nelson Zuniga

Postdoctoral Researcher at Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (POLI-USP) and Researcher at Research Centre for Gas Innovation (RCGI). PhD in Geophysics at University of São Paulo (USP) with supervised period at Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), Master's Degree in Geophysics at University of São Paulo (USP) and Bachelor's Degree in Petroleum Engineering at Catholic University of Santos (UNISANTOS). Experience in Applied Mathematics, focused in Inversion Theory, Numerical Modeling and Topological Analysis applied to Geophysics and Engineering.

Dr. Carlos Juan Schulz

Graduate in Geology (UNLPam), Master in Underground Hydrology (UPC, Barcelona Spain) and Doctor in Geological Sciences (UNC). Regular Adjunct Professor in the Chair of Environmental Hydrology and Underground Hydrology (FCEyN-UNLPam). Teacher of the Master in Water Resources at UNLPam. Director of the Institute for Water and the Environment (FCEyN-UNLPam). He has more than 50 articles published in journals, special publications and proceedings of national and international scientific meetings. He has participated in, and directed, numerous research and consulting projects in the field of hydrogeology. He has been editor of 8 Books with arbitration and / or Editorial Committee, 29 Book Chapters published by publisher with arbitration and / or editorial committee, 6 Publications in Thematic Magazines with arbitration and / or editorial committee, 20 publications in International Congresses and 34 in National Congresses.

Dr. Claudia Sainato

Graduated in Physical Sciences and Doctor in Physical Sciences from the School of Exact and Natural Sciences. University of Buenos Aires. Argentina. Head Professor. Chair of Physics. Department of agricultural engineering and land use. School of Agriculture (FAUBA). University of Buenos Aires. Teaching: Physics for Agriculture Engineering and Environmental Sciences (grade courses). Applied geophysics (electrical and electromagnetic methods) applied to groundwater resources, irrigation projects, environmental studies, and precision agriculture (post-graduate PhD courses) FAUBA. Author of three books, five chapters of books, more than 40 articles in scientific journals, more than 50 articles in Proceedings of Conferences, and 6 lectures in Conferences. Direction of 11 Research projects in geophysics applied to exploration of groundwater resources, soil and groundwater contamination, hydrodynamics in unsaturated zone and precision agriculture. Director of 6 Postgraduate Thesis (Magister Scientiae and PhD) in UBA and UNLa Plata, Argentina, Director of 5 Scholarship of postgraduate and pre graduate students. Director of 16 Undergraduate Final Thesis. Academic and scientific management: Titular Counselor elected by the Faculty Board of the School of Agriculture, UBA, 2010-present. Reviewer for several international Journals. Member of Working Group Committee of Electromagnetic Induction in the Earth, IAGA, IUGG, representing Argentina, 2002-2010.

Jelime Aray Castellano

Jélime Aray is a researcher in Geological Sciences. Mrs. Aray has expertise in shallow geophysics focusing on geotechnical, civil and seismological studies. Currently, she is in aPhD program in Earth Sciences at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM -Mexico). She has worked as an independent advisor and as a geophysical researcher atFundación Venezolana de Investigaciones Sismológicas (FUNVISIS - Venezuela). She has an experience of thirteen years applying geophysical methods as GPR, seismic refraction, potential methods, and seismic noise analysis focusing on seismic hazard evaluation. Mrs. Aray got her master degree in Geological Sciences and her bachelor’s degree in Physics atUniversidad Central de Venezuela (UCV - Venezuela).

Daniel Rodriguez

Geologist from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and MSc. in Exploration Geophysics from the University of Leeds, with experience in exploration and development of hydrocarbons.

He has worked with the Technical Vice-Presidency of the ANH for three years in the competitive processes of area allocation, identifying prospective areas through the use of 2D and 3D seismic and well information. During the last two years he has focused his efforts in the study and acquisition of information in the Colombian Caribbean, describing possible opportunities associated with gas chimneys and the development of reservoirs in the subsea deposits of the Magdalena River in the Colombia Basin. He is currently working with the technical vice-presidency in the planning of studies and projects that may reveal the hydrocarbon potential of the Colombian Pacific.