Scholarships
THE SM ENERGY SCHOLAR AWARD for petroleum geoscience research
SM Energy has created a $10,000 award to be given to a junior, senior, or a graduate student conducting research at accredited universities in the United States in petroleum geology or geophysics. This scholarship will be advertised and managed by the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) Foundation, a non-profit organization in Denver which has extensive experience in recruiting and selecting student candidates for its ten other academic scholarships.
Application is now closed. Thanks to all who applied.
The 2025 SM Energy Scholar Award was awarded to:
David C. Nworie, PhD Candidate, Geology, Colorado School of Mines
David’s dissertation is titled “Effects of Carbonate Particle Composition and Shape on Submarine Turbidity Current Processes and Products.“ David is working on carbonate-rich sediment gravity flow systems with a focus on how various particle characteristics influence flow structure, deposit texture and reservoir quality in deep-marine settings. He is conducting experiments in a flume tank using natural sediments. He is addressing three primary topics: (1) how grain density and shape influence vertical and longitudinal current structure and resulting deposit characteristics; (2) comparing the behavior of pure carbonate, mixed carbonate-siliciclastic, and pure siliciclastic sediments to understand how differences in sediment types affect flow structure and depositional patterns; (3) the role of carbonate turbidity currents in transporting organic carbon to deep-marine environments. This research has important implications for the environmental and energy sectors. Deepwater deposits shaped by turbidity currents are key targets for both conventional and unconventional energy exploration.
David’s work is under the direction of Dr. Zane Jobe
David has a MS in Petroleum Science and Engineering from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil and a BS in Geology and Exploration Geophysics from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria