Scott Gifford, a master’s degree student in the Texas A&M University Department of Geology and Geophysics, was awarded $4,000 from the Marvolene Speed Bennett and Carleton D. Speed, Jr. Endowed Fund by  the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) Foundation. 

The SIPES Foundation selected five outstanding earth science and engineering students to receive scholarship awards this year.

Gifford’s research is focused on sequence stratigraphy of the Eagle Ford and Woodbine groups in the East Texas Basin, and his faculty advisors are Dr. Mike Pope and Dr. Art Donovan.

The Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists is a national organization of more than 900 self-employed geologists, geophysicists and engineers engaged primarily in domestic energy exploration and development. Since its founding in 1981, the SIPES Foundation has awarded scholarships to 254 promising earth science and engineering students. The SIPES Foundation also conducts educational seminars, contributes funding to earth science publications and continuing education programs, and maintains a library of earth science films.

By Ali Snell