Seismic Soundoff

“If you're curious about geophysics, there's definitely a place in geophysics for you. The field is so interdisciplinary.”

Johanna Villagomez joins Andrew Geary to share how curiosity, fieldwork, student leadership, and outreach are shaping her path as a PhD student in geophysics at the University of Houston. Her story shows why applied geophysics matters now: the field connects directly to water, energy, climate, critical minerals, and the decisions communities make about the subsurface.

For students, she makes the field feel open and reachable, while also being honest about the skills that matter most, including coding, fundamentals, communication, and collaboration. As AI, larger datasets, and new sensing tools change the profession, the future belongs to geophysicists who can understand the science and explain why it matters.

Explore SEG student programs to find scholarships, mentorship, student chapters, and opportunities to build your path in geophysics at https://seg.org/programs/student-programs/.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Fieldwork creates ownership: Collecting seismic data in the field gives students a deeper connection to the full geophysical workflow, from instruments to interpretation.
> AI raises the value of fundamentals: Coding and machine learning matter, but geophysicists still need strong quantitative skills to know when an answer is wrong.
> Communication is a technical skill: Whether speaking to policymakers, students, or other geophysicists, clear explanations help science reach the people who need it.

ABOUT SEISMIC SOUNDOFF
Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. Produced by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and hosted by Andrew Geary of 51 features, these episodes celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. Three new episodes monthly. See the full archive at https://seg.org/resources/podcast/.

"Integration, literally, that's why the URTeC is successful.”

Marianne Rauch joins Andrew Geary to explain why URTeC 2026 matters for geophysicists who want their work to shape real field decisions. She argues that the event’s strength is integration: geology, geophysics, drilling, production, land, service companies, and operators in the same place. That matters now because unconventional development is increasingly driven by better data, AI, cost pressure, and the need to connect technical products to practical outcomes. For students and early-career professionals, the message is direct: broader knowledge can create better ideas, better collaboration, and stronger career options.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Integration drives impact: Geophysical work matters most when engineers, geologists, and production teams understand how to use it in real decisions.
> Application is the opportunity: URTeC gives geophysicists a practical view of how seismic attributes, rock properties, pressure estimates, and other products influence drilling and production
> AI needs physics and judgment: Emerging tools may change how teams choose locations, drill wells, and manage production, but Marianne warns that AI cannot be trusted blindly.

LINKS
* Learn more about URTeC -> https://urtec.org/2026/
* Register for the event (22-24 June 2026, Houston, TX, USA) -> https://platform.tpni.com/GcmMaintenance/aapg/Html_Files/30000107/landing.html

ABOUT SEISMIC SOUNDOFF
Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. Produced by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and hosted by Andrew Geary of 51 features, these episodes celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. Three new episodes monthly. See the full archive at https://seg.org/resources/podcast/.

“The concept of mapping the aquifer from the sky, that’s gigantic. It could change how aquifers are managed around the world.”

Seogi Kang and Mike Wilt explain why groundwater is becoming one of the most important growth areas in applied geophysics. As drought, population growth, and water demand increase, geophysicists are being asked harder questions about where water is stored and how aquifers can be managed more sustainably. They share how airborne EM, well data, and machine learning are helping researchers see the subsurface in new ways, while also admitting that turning more data into better decisions is still a major challenge. For students and working geophysicists, this field offers both urgent problems and growing career opportunities.

Read the March 2026 special section, "Advances in geophysics for groundwater applications," at https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/tle/issue/45/3.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Groundwater is becoming a bigger challenge for geophysics: More communities need better answers about where water is stored, how aquifers connect, and how to manage them before shortages grow worse.
> Better tools do not automatically mean better decisions: Airborne EM, well logs, and machine learning can improve subsurface understanding, but combining those datasets into something people trust is still difficult.
> This field needs more geophysicists: Groundwater applications are growing quickly, creating opportunities for students and professionals who want to work on problems with direct public impact.

ABOUT SEISMIC SOUNDOFF
Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. Produced by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and hosted by Andrew Geary of 51 features, these episodes celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. Three new episodes monthly. See the full archive at https://seg.org/resources/podcast/.

“We all realize that we need a lot more mineral resources in the next two decades. And we realized that geophysics can play a critical role.”

Sarah Devriese and Jiajia Sun explain why demand for critical minerals is rising fast while new discoveries are getting harder to make. They show how geophysics now supports the full mining life cycle, from early airborne surveys to advanced 3D modeling and decision making. New ideas like AI, UAV surveys, and smarter sampling are quietly changing how exploration works and who succeeds. This moment creates a rare mix of urgency and opportunity for geophysicists and students entering the field.

Read the November 2025 special section, "Geophysics for mineral exploration," at https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/tle/issue/44/11.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Critical minerals demand is surging while discovery is declining: This gap creates urgency and makes geophysics more valuable than ever in exploration workflows.
> Integration is the real advantage: Combining geophysics with remote sensing, geology, and AI helps reduce uncertainty and leads to better decisions.
> Career timing is unusually strong: The industry needs new talent now, creating a rare window where skills directly translate into jobs and impact.

ABOUT SEISMIC SOUNDOFF
Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. Produced by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and hosted by Andrew Geary of 51 features, these episodes celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. Three new episodes monthly. See the full archive at https://seg.org/resources/podcast/.

“Nothing can happen in a vacuum anymore. We need to have the developers talking to the geoscientists, talking to the environmental professionals.”

Two OTC 2026 Emerging Leaders share why the future of offshore energy will be built through collaboration across geophysics, environmental science, AI, and engineering. Their stories reveal a powerful truth that many early career professionals overlook: the biggest breakthroughs often happen where disciplines meet and curiosity leads the conversation. As OTC approaches, their insights offer a compelling reason to join the people and ideas shaping what comes next.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
> Collaboration drives innovation: The most important advances in offshore energy now come from geophysicists, engineers, environmental scientists, and developers working together rather than in isolation.
> Curiosity builds leadership: Asking questions, admitting what you do not know, and learning across disciplines are the traits that build trust and open doors to bigger opportunities.
> OTC creates rare access: Few events bring so many decision-makers, innovators, and early career professionals into one place, making attendance a high-value opportunity for future growth.

LINKS
* Learn more OTC '26 - https://2026.otcnet.org/
* Register for the event (4-7 May 2026) - https://2026.otcnet.org/registration
* See the Emerging Leaders Class of 2026 - https://2026.otcnet.org/awards/otc-emerging-leaders-program

ABOUT SEISMIC SOUNDOFF
Seismic Soundoff showcases conversations addressing the challenges of energy, water, and climate. Produced by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and hosted by Andrew Geary of 51 features, these episodes celebrate and inspire the geophysicists of today and tomorrow. Three new episodes monthly. See the full archive at https://seg.org/resources/podcast/.