Biography
Vice President Geothermal Resource Development, Quaise Energy
I received my Ph.D. from Cornell in 1993 in structural geology, studying the neotectonics on the high Andean plateau of Argentina and Bolivia. After Cornell I moved to Seattle (where I have been since) for postdoctoral research at the University of Washington on the mechanical behavior of fault gouge from Death Valley, CA. Next, I worked as a consulting geologist at Golder Associates, where I created 3D discrete fracture network and fluid flow models for clients in the petroleum and nuclear waste isolation industries.
In 2008, I found my true calling in the geothermal industry when I joined a start-up, AltaRock Energy. AltaRock’s mission was to develop the technologies to enable geothermal energy production anywhere through engineered geothermal systems (EGS), a vision invigorated by Cornell’s Jefferson Tester in a 2008 DOE report. Since then, I have worked on EGS and conventional geothermal projects around the world with a focus on the western U.S. and on Newberry Volcano in Oregon in particular. My current company, Quaise Energy, is developing a gyrotron-powered drilling platform that will provide access to deep geothermal heat and enable EGS to be economically developed anywhere. We are currently targeting pilot projects at Newberry Volcano and central Nevada.
I have continued to stay connected to Cornell through the geothermal program lead by Jeff Tester, including the plans to use direct geothermal heat on the campus. My goal is to help Cornell EAS adapt to the transition to renewable energy, especially geothermal.