Class of 2014 Graduate Stories
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July 07, 2014
As proof that a degree in petroleum engineering from UT Austin can take you just about anywhere you want to go, UT PGE 2014 graduates Nicci Lee, Pedro Flores, and Cyrus Iqbal are following their bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering down diverging paths.
From bi-weekly helicopter rides to visit offshore rigs, to days spent in the field in small town South Texas, to four more years of school in a lab coat with a stethoscope, these former students are taking on bold roles.
(Flores at the 2014 Cockrell School of Engineering Commencement Ceremony)
Pedro Flores – BSPE ’14
In June, UT PGE 2014 graduate Pedro Flores started working with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), a government agency that is part of the United States Department of the Interior, working in their regional office in New Orleans. Flores first heard about BSEE his junior year at EXPO from one of their recruiters, and was immediately drawn to the idea that BSEE sounded like an interesting and challenging place to work. BSEE was created in the fall of 2011 after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and its main purpose is to regulate offshore activities in an effort to ensure safety and reduce risk (UT PGE is a partner of BSEE’s Ocean Energy Safety Institute in Texas). Should another oil spill occur, the organization will assemble the task-force necessary to promptly and effectively oversee clean up.
”I’ve always been environmentally conscious, and I felt like this is a place where I could really make a difference,” said Flores of what initially attracted him to BSEE as a potential career path after graduation. “BSEE doesn’t get many petroleum engineers and they really need them. Plus, if I ever want to move to the private sector, companies value BSEE guys because they know all the regulations.”
Though his work fits within the typical 8-5 workday, Flores’ days in the office will be anything but typical. Twice a week, he will fly out by helicopter to inspect offshore rigs and to make sure they are following all federal regulations from a safety standpoint. If a rig is not following all the regulations, he will issue citations or even shut down the rig until the issues are resolved.
“There will be a steep learning curve,” said Flores of his new position. "Although, I feel like it’s going to be a fantastic learning experience. I’ll be working with everybody—from BP to Chevron to ExxonMobil on a weekly basis.”
Flores attended a training program before he started his job with BSEE, where he had to pass the “Dunker Test,” a simulated training where participants are submerged in a pool of water while strapped into a helicopter and have to unbuckle themselves and swim out. Keeping a clear head under pressure is one of many skills Flores will need to draw on in his job with BSEE. “This is serious stuff, making sure these companies are following safety regulations,” said Flores. "We don’t want anyone to get hurt, so I will need to be very strict and thorough in everything I do.”
Growing up in San Antonio and attending college only an hour-and-a-half away from his hometown, Flores never considered leaving the state after graduation, but he is thrilled at the prospect of getting to start all over in a new city.
“I love fishing and photography, so I know there will be a lot of opportunities for that in New Orleans, plus the food is amazing,” said Flores. “I am so excited to get to call this city home!”
Nicci Lee – BSPE ‘14
When Canadian native Nicci Lee entered her freshman year at the Colorado School of Mines majoring in mechanical engineering, she never imagined that a brief stint working in the school’s career center would ultimately lead to an exciting profession in the oil industry. Through this job, Lee met a number of people who worked in the energy industry and began to develop a strong interest in the field of petroleum engineering. She followed this interest south, transferring into the UT PGE Department the following year.
“My experience at UT PGE was great,” said Lee. “I felt like they really wanted you to succeed, and that was a great feeling.”
After landing a field internship with Baker Hughes in pressure pumping in Houston, Lee was offered a full-time job as a Field Engineer with the company, and is thrilled to be joining the Baker Hughes team.
“What really appealed to me about Baker Hughes was that they were so nice to us, and pushed us to perform better,” said Lee. “Everyone was approachable even if they weren’t my direct mentor.”
This fall, Lee is relocating to the Baker Hughes office in the small town of Alice, Texas. With only 20,000 residents, life in Alice will be a big adjustment for Lee, who grew up in Toronto, one of the most populous cities in Canada. Situated mid-way between San Antonio and Brownsville, Alice earned its nickname ‘The Hub City of South Texas’ due to its ideal proximity to other major cities in the oil industry, making it an easy center for distribution. A sleepy small town whose only claim to fame is as “The Birthplace of Tejano,” Alice has long been a player in the oil industry, however, with the recent rise of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, domestic production has soared, especially in South Texas with the Eagle Ford Shale. There are currently more than 100 oil companies located around Alice, comprising a significant part of their economy, and acting as a large draw for petroleum engineers looking to get their bearings in the industry.
Lee is excited to be a part of this enhanced population in Alice, working with the cutting edge technology that has revitalized the oil industry in the past few years.
“I can’t wait to start getting real hands-on experience in the field,” said Lee. “I know being a field engineer is sort of a rite of passage into the industry, so I’m really eager to get to see that aspect of it - you take drilling and production as part of the curriculum, but it’s different getting to actually experience it.”
Cyrus Iqbal – BSPE ’14
UT PGE 2014 grad Cyrus Iqbal took the road less traveled with his undergraduate degree, double majoring in petroleum engineering and pre-med. Juggling two difficult majors and graduating in four years is no small undertaking, but Iqbal knew he wanted to explore both career paths fully, even if it meant loading his course schedule with up to 20 hours.
As a double major, Iqbal credits his success in his pre-med classes with the rigorous coursework he was taking simultaneously in his PE classes.
“There is a crossover between pre-med and engineering curriculum - in petroleum engineering we focus on understanding ideas and principles; what makes things work and what makes thing happen,” said Iqbal. “From what I’ve seen of doctors, it’s not like you memorize a bunch of facts and just show up and diagnose a patient - you have to run tests, use context, and recognize that no two patients are alike.”
Iqbal has always been interested in math and science, and wanted a chance to use these interests to help people and effect positive change in society.
“When I came to college, more so than finding a job or fulfilling some networking desires, my goal was to go through holistic personal growth; I wanted to become more mature, responsible, determined, and confident,” said Iqbal. “The UT PGE department succeeded in providing me a fantastic environment for growth. Furthermore, the professors at UT PGE are world-class and just learning from them how to think analytically and critically has made me a more complete person.”
After his junior year, Iqbal decided to set his sights on medical school instead of a career in industry. Iqbal firmly believes that his petroleum engineering background will be a huge asset to him as he works towards his goal of becoming a doctor.
Though undecided which path he will take in medicine, Iqbal is content to keep his options open for now, stating, “I have a very rough list of what I’m interested in, but it’s pretty much wide open right now, and that’s something I’m really excited about. I’ve always been somebody who loves change, new environments and situations.”
This summer, Iqbal will be taking a well-deserved break from his studies before continuing his education at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in the fall.
