PGE Welcomes Technical Communications Lecturer, Deborah Hempel-Medina
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December 06, 2012
Deborah Hempel-Medina joined the Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department this fall as a lecturer teaching the PGE 333T Engineering Communication course. An alumna of the department, Hempel-Medina graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from UT Austin in 1993. She spent the next 19 years working in the energy industry and in 2001, earned her Master’s in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. Most recently, Hempel-Medina undertook the role of Community and Safety Outreach for WPX Energy (formerly Williams), one of the nation’s largest natural gas producers.
When designing the curriculum for the Engineering Communication course, Hempel-Medina capitalized on her unique experiences in petroleum engineering and communication. Her course focuses on increasing students’ level of comfort with all forms of communication, from writing professional emails and technical papers, to conversing with recruiters and presenting in front of an audience. As a student, Hempel-Medina was “terrified of public speaking”—as a lecturer, she helps students move beyond this same fear.
Another key component of the course involves exploring engineering ethics, specifically, how to close the gap between the way engineers are ethically obligated to respond in any given situation above and beyond the way they are legally obligated to respond. Using case studies from recent events involving key players in the oil and gas industry, Hempel-Medina asks students to question the status quo and consider the myriad of ethical challenges they will encounter when entering the corporate world in a few years. This approach not only equips students with the tools to be successful in industry, but allows them an avenue to find their voice among many.
On returning to her alma mater, Hempel-Medina said: “It’s surreal to be back—the faculty has enabled this department to acquire such an outstanding reputation, so being classified among them is a privilege. I am honored to be a part of shaping the next generation of Longhorn petroleum engineers.”
Hempel-Medina currently splits her time between Austin and Flower Mound (near Dallas), where she lives with her husband Kirk Medina and their two children, Luke and Amelia.
Recall back to your time at UT. Did you enjoy guest speakers? I did too. So, if you are an alumnus or alumna of the PGE department, and interested in giving a lecture during the PGE 333T classes related to engineering ethics or engineering communication within our business, please email Deborah Hempel-Medina directly.
