Seminar: "A Passion for Science: Getting Lost and Finding Myself Again"
Time/Date: 11:00 a.m. – Noon, Thursday, Feb. 9
Location: 402 Steidle
From the moment I was born, I knew I wanted to be a scientist. My problem was I didn't know what kind. I loved everything to do with the natural world and had a passion for wanting to learn more. I have traveled along many scientific stepping stones (from material characterization to paleoclimatology to energy). I have traveled off the path and then found my way back to my true passion. Fortunately, my wayward science travels guided and prepared me for my current research at the NETL. My career at NETL has allowed my diverse portfolio of knowledge to enhance the best of my abilities. In this presentation, I will take you on a journey to my current role at NETL and how I accomplish that all-important life-work balance of being a single mother.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Kutchko is a senior research scientist with the NETL specializing in wellbore isolation, oil well cementing, and subsurface materials characterization. She has a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University's Civil and Environmental Engineering and a M.S. in Geology from the University of Pittsburgh. She works with oil and gas companies, government agencies, and universities to evaluate current cementing practices and research needs to ensure the safe placement of cement related to offshore drilling, shale gas production, and carbon storage. This includes leading and collaborating with teams of diverse researchers, professors, students and industry experts to plan, manage, and execute research related to energy production. She currently represents NETL on API's Cement Subcommittee 10C which develops and maintains standards on various oil and gas wellbore cementing procedures for the U.S. petroleum industry and is actively involved in several of the working groups. Her research has informed federal policy and increased scientific understanding of the chemical reactions that occur in geological formations under carbon sequestration conditions.
She served as an objective expert for the U.S. Department of Justice for the United States v. BP Exploration and Production, Inc. case. She is the recipient of a 2016 Pittsburgh Women in Energy award, a 2015 Pittsburgh Energy Award in Upstream, and a 2014 Federal Executive Board Excellence in Government Award. She was a Finalist for the 2018 Samuel J Heyman Service to America Awards. Kutchko was a Society of Petroleum Engineer (SPE) Distinguished Lecturer for the 2018-2019 season.