Energy & Geoscience Institute

Check it out! EGI is the UPA Friday Member Spotlight!

EGI is hosting a short course on machine learning methods in geoscience on Friday, April 4th, 2025.? ? Dr. Gerard Schuster, a machine-learning expert, will provide those attending a solid understanding of machine learning methods in science, including such critical concepts as fully connected neural networks, convolutional neural networks, clustering methods, recurrent neural networks, and the effective use of AI tools. ? The course costs $750 USD and will include Dr. Schuster’s book,?Machine Learning Methods in Geoscience.? ? Learn more and register here:?https://lnkd.in/gMru7nrg

Congratulations to Dr. No'am Dvory and co-researchers Dr. Brian McPherson and Dr. John McLennan. You can read their feature here: https://lnkd.in/g5PcMer4

On Friday, February 14th, Dr. Joe Moore, Managing PI of Utah FORGE was surprised with a Citation of Recognition from both the Utah Senate and Utah House of Representatives for his years of hard work and dedication to advancing geothermal energy in Utah, the country, and the world. ? Attached is a short clip of him being recognized. ? Congratulations, Joe, so very, very well deserved! #EGI #utahforge #universityofutah #geothermal

The summer Milky Way rises over the Jurassic Bentonite Hills, located in south-central Utah near Capitol Reef National Park, are a striking geological feature characterized by colorful badlands composed primarily of bentonite-rich mudstones and claystones. These hills are part of the Morrison Formation, a Late Jurassic sedimentary sequence deposited around 150 million years ago in a fluvial-lacustrine environment. The vivid hues of red, purple, and gray arise from the oxidation and reduction of iron minerals in the clays. Bentonite, a swelling clay derived primarily from the alteration of volcanic ash, dominates these formations and is responsible for the hills' unique texture and erosion patterns. This material is highly absorbent and causes the terrain to become slick and sticky when wet, making the region notable for its challenging conditions during rainfall. The Bentonite Hills provide insights into the Jurassic paleoenvironment, highlighting volcanic activity and ancient river systems. They also serve as a natural laboratory for studying bentonite's geotechnical properties and its potential applications in industry. Photo by Dr. Bryony Richards, Senior Research Scientist at EGI

My department is offering new pathways to get a Masters Degree in chemical engineering. If you have a degree in the sciences (especially chemistry), we are offering a summer "bridge" course to help you transition into Chemical Engineering. We will also have regular Fall/Spring courses to help you make this transition. If you are a working professional, we have options to pursue your degree remotely. If you are a current student in the department, we offer a 5-year BS/MS program where you can get a Masters Degree in just one additional year. Check out www.che.utah.edu/masters to learn more or feel free to reach out to me directly. Apply by April 1st! Network: Please help me share this by reposting, liking, and/or commenting!

Don't miss the March 6th EGI webinar presented by Carbon Science Initiative Director, Kevin?L.?McCormack, Ph.D.?Read the full abstract here: https://lnkd.in/gQV5nCKr

Cost-efficient microseismic monitoring strategies and reliable tracking of fracture growth are key for a safe and economically viable application of enhanced geothermal systems. Peter Niemz and colleagues (from the?University of Utah Seismograph Stations) used groups of nodal geophones to improve the surface-based microseismic monitoring at Utah FORGE during the most recent stimulation experiments in April 2024. They showed how this highly cost-efficient monitoring setup could map fracture zones - pathways for fluid transport between the wells - within the geothermal reservoir in great detail by improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the data and incorporating a state-of-the-art machine-learning-supported detection algorithm. Check out this article by Peter Niemz et al. published in Seismological Research Letters (2025) titled "Mapping Fracture Zones with Nodal Geophone Patches: Insights from Induced Microseismicity During the 2024 Stimulations at Utah FORGE". Get full article here: https://lnkd.in/gfb3GKiJ

Register today for EGI's upcoming Spring webinar series: Discussions and Insight from EGI. . . . . https://lnkd.in/gDG9E4Fj

Utah lawmakers have continued to support coal in Utah, but now Gov. Spencer Cox is eyeing another energy option: geothermal. EGI's Dr. Joseph Moore, principal researcher at Utah FORGE joins host Ali Vallarta to demystify this renewable resource. Listen now! . . https://lnkd.in/gDARk4Pe #utahforge #universityofutah #geothermal