91̽��

Dawna Roederer, BS ’09, is pictured at a workstation on an oil rig in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, one of the several locations across the nation where she has worked as a wellsite geologist and geosteering consultant.

At 91̽��’s Department of Geological Sciences, Dawna Roederer, BS ’09, found a tight-knit family and the tools to launch a successful career as a wellsite geologist and geosteering consultant. Her OHIO experience inspired Roederer to invest her time, talent and treasure in the future of the University’s geological sciences program, contributing to the department’s endowment, helping students find jobs after graduation, and, most recently, securing access to technology used in the field.

“When I started, we were just using Excel spreadsheets,” Roederer said of her early days working in the Marcellus wells in Pennsylvania and later on oil rigs. “It’s just insane what’s happened in 10 years.”

Roederer went on to start her own company and become a wellsite geologist, examining rock cuttings from oil and gas wells to determine what rock formations are being drilled into and decide how drilling should proceed. As her career progressed so, too, did the technology being used in the industry.

“In the last 10 years, it’s evolved into this amazing suite of software you can use to do everything at home, if need be,” Roederer explained. “With all the jobs I’ve had and the software I’ve used, I’ve made this huge network of individuals, and I just kept saying, ‘This software is great. Do you think I can get some for 91̽��?’”

Dawna Roederer, BS ’09, poses for a photo in front of a large shale rock during a field camp trip she participated in while studying geological sciences at 91̽��.

Roederer’s persistence and advocacy on behalf of her alma mater recently paid off.

Houston-based geoscience IT company ROGII Inc. is providing OHIO’s Department of Geological Sciences licenses for its StarSteer software, a gift-in-kind to The 91̽�� Foundation valued at $310,500.

“It’s the best geosteering software I’ve ever used, and the makers of it are super generous,” Roederer said of StarSteer, which provides a 3D model of the geology involved in oil and gas drilling. “The really cool thing about this software is that it allows you to map in it and compare wells that are close by. It’s an all-inclusive software that lets you do everything at once rather than using five different programs.”

For Roederer, helping to secure the software was an opportunity to come back and give back to the place that put her on the path to success while also helping the next generation of geologists.

“Those years at the geology department at OU were some of my best,” she said. “I just really love everybody down there. Greg Nadon was a huge influence on my life. He was my mentor, and it’s great to be able to bring this to him and his students.”

An associate professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Geological Sciences, Dr. Nadon worked with Roederer and staff at OHIO’s Office of Information Technology to install the software on computers in a lab at Clippinger Laboratories.

“Having an opportunity to use this type of software and interact with alumni who use the program on a routine basis will provide our students with both technical skills that will help them land and keep a job, as well as an understanding of the expectations the industry has for new hires,” Dr. Nadon said.

He added that incorporating StarSteer into the department’s curriculum will happen in phases and will begin with workshops to familiarize students throughout the Department of Geological Sciences with the software.

“If students have experience with StarSteer coming right of out college, that’s going to look really solid on a resume, and that goes a long way,” Roederer said. “I can’t speak enough about how awesome the staff at ROGII were. They were excited to know that young professionals coming out of college will have used this software. … I know there are just a few colleges that are using the software with students right now, so this is a big win for OU students.”