Geology Professor Elected to Lead National Professional Organization

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Christopher Liner

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Christopher Liner, professor of geology and the Maurice F. Storm Chair in Petroleum Geology in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has been chosen to lead the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He will serve as the organization's president-elect for 2013-14, president for 2014-15 and past-president for 2015-16.

"This is a great honor for Dr. Liner," said Provost Sharon Gaber. "No faculty member from the U of A has ever had a seat on the SEG Executive Board, let alone served as president. This is the type of recognition that will help us become a top 50 public research university."

Liner is a University of Arkansas alumnus who returned as a faculty member in 2012. His academic experience includes faculty positions at the University of Houston and the University of Tulsa.  He has also worked for Conoco, Golden Geophysical Corp and Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia and served as an industry consultant for various companies in countries around the world, including Iraq, Oman, Tunisia and Indonesia.

"While working at the presidential level in a large scientific society requires significant time and effort, I will always keep The University of Arkansas as my top priority and responsibility," Liner said. "Traveling in this position will allow me to introduce geophysicists worldwide to our great university and the petroleum geology program in the geosciences department."

Liner is a 35-year member of the society. He has served as editor of the journal Geophysics (1999-2001), an SEG Distinguished presenter (Elements of Seismic Dispersion: A Somewhat Practical Guide to Frequency-dependent Phenomena, 2012) and The Leading Edge editorial board (2009-2013). He also writes the long-standing Seismos column for The Leading Edge and the Seismos blog (with more than 55,000 visits since 2008). His book Elements of 3D Seismology has been praised for its informative and easily understood content.

The Society of Exploration Geophysicists is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the science of applied geophysics and the education of geophysicists. The Society of Exploration Geophysicists, founded in 1930, fosters the expert and ethical practice of geophysics in the exploration and development of natural resources, in characterizing the near surface and in mitigating earth hazards. The Society, which has more than 33,000 members in 138 countries, fulfills its mission through publications, conferences, forums, websites and educational opportunities.