University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
Building an Undergraduate Oil & Gas GIS Curriculum
Presented to: Esri PUGHouston, TX
Dr. Daniel W. GoldbergDepartment of Geography,
Department of Computer Science & EngineeringTexas A&M University
Dr. Andrew KleinDepartment of Geography
Texas A&M University
Ms. Miriam OlivaresGeoSAT Center
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
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The Outline
• The Landscape• The AggieLand Context• The Plan• The Status• The Call
University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
The Landscape
‘The Great Crew Change’=
The Great demand for GIS professionals
Texas A&M University
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The Issues• Backdrop
– Oil is down – students are worried
– GIS jobs are up – 4K+ “GIS” jobs in the last 60 days on LinkedIn
• Personnel– Retirements will be skyrocketing
– Highly trained bodies will be needed to fill these positions
• Operational landscape– Technology, workflows, data, and expectations are changing
University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
The AggieLand Context
AggieLand can fill these gaps
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● Distances to major industry hubs:
o Houston: 96.9 mi (1 h 35 min)
o Dallas: 181 mi (2 h 45 min)
o Austin: 107 mi (2 h)
o San Antonio: 170 mi (2 h 45 min)
College Station
DALLAS
HOUSTON
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
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● College town of 100,000 located in central Texas.● Most of town closely related to Texas A&M.
College Station
Department of Geography
Texas A&M University
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● “Howdy!”● Bonfire● “Whoop!!”● Aggie Ring● Gig’em● Reveille● Football Games
o Yell leaderso Midnight yell
● 12th man● Aggie network
Aggie Traditions
Texas A&M University
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GIS @ TAMU• GIS @ TAMU Geography
– The best one, obviously
• GIS @ TAMU Architecture– Planning & design focus
• GIS @ TAMU ESSM– Environment & ecosystems focus
• Esri Award Winning TAMU Maps & GIS Data Library• TAMU Esri Development Center• TAMU GeoSAT Center• TAMU Hazzard Reduction and Recovery Center• TAMU Census Data Research Center
• And on and on and on
University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
The Plan
Engage industry today to build the curriculum of tomorrow
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Goals• (1) Shorten the lead time necessary to operate effectively as a
GIS professional in the Oil & Gas industry
– Increase the hireability of Aggies
– Provide training relevant to job duties
– Place students in internships
• Matchmaker
– Offer high impact learning experiences
• Professional meetings
• Externships
• Internships
• Professionalization
Texas A&M University
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Goals• (2) Engage industry to determine what knowledge, skills, and
abilities are needed by GIS professionals in the modern Oil & Gas industry
– GIS job duties?
– Non-GIS job duties?
– Technology?
– Data?
– Workflows?
– Key skills?
• Programming?
• DB admin?
• Web? adapted from Expordat (2013)
Texas A&M University
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Goals• (3) Enhance our GIS curriculum to embed Oil & Gas data,
workflows, and experiences within lectures, labs, projects, and exercises
– Update labs and exercises to include content relevant to industry
– Include common oil & gas problems/workflows as exercises
– Include common oil & gas data in assignments
– Use oil & gas example domain in lectures
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Goals• (4) Create Oil & Gas GIS specific curriculum including
classes, tracks within the major, a certificate program, and an MS specialization
– Create a 4th undergrad specialization track
• CDA, ESA, HSS + O&G
– Create a certificate program
• Recognition for focused learning
• Students will stand out
University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
The Status
Where we are & Where are we going
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Our TAMU Graduates• Are in every company • Are in all locations• Are in all levels
– VPs to Interns
• Are doing great work• Are eager to help current students
– Get great positions
– Learn about the industry
• Are eager to help improve our program
– Talks, mentoring
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New GIST Degree & Courses
• (1) Computation, Design and Analysis
– Programming, enterprise, DB– [the best one, obviously]
• (2) Earth Systems Analysis– remote sensing, terrain analysis, and
geomorphology
• (3) Human Systems and Society – GIS for everything human
• GIS Programming– Python
• WebGIS– Javascript– ArcServer– SQL– Web APIs
• Spatial Databases– Enterprise SQL
• GeoComputation– Algorithm design &
implementation
Degree Tracks Degree Courses
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GIS Day 2014• 998 Checkins• 3 Hour Trainings
– Python, ArcServer, Javascript, R
• Panels over lunch every day– GIS Jobs
– Alumni
– Oil & Gas
• Full blown Career Fair– 10 Companies/Agencies Represented
• Keynote– Clint Brown Aggie Class of ‘78
Texas A&M University
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Companies/Agencies/OrganizationsCurrently Engaged
• ConocoPhillips• Integrashare• Esri• Shell
• PUG• APSG• PPDM
• Fort Worth Technologies • Pertrosys• Dunaway Associates, L.P.• Energy XXI
• BOEM
University of Southern California
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Texas A&M University
The Call
We want YOU!
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How we can use your help• (1) Let us ask you questions
– What job skills are needed?
– What technology, data, workflows do you use?
– What characterizes the best candidates?
– When, who, and how many do you need to hire?
• (2) Let us bring the best students to you– Externships
– Internships
– Co-Ops
– Esri Meetups in Houston, Austin, Dallas
Texas A&M University
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How we can use your help• (3) Come to TAMU
– GIS Day – Panels, Workshops
– Guest lectures
• (4) Keep us on track– Industry advisory board
• (5) Provide training materials and/or context
– Data
– Software
– Workflows
Texas A&M University
THANKS FOR LISTENING
Questions?
Contact Information
Dr. Daniel GoldbergDepartments of Geography and Computer Science & Engineering
Texas A&M [email protected]
Dr. Andrew KleinDepartment of Geography
Texas A&M [email protected]
Ms. Miriam OlivaresGeoSAT Center
Texas A&M [email protected]
