Nancy House

Nancy House

MSc	Geophysics
MSc university	Colorado School of Mines

SEG Life Membership Award 2024

Nancy House has selflessly contributed significant amounts of her time, energy, talents, and insights in stalwart service to SEG. She rendered exceptionally meritorious service during leadership roles as SEG president, secretary/treasurer, chair of the Finance Committee, and chair of the Women’s Network Committee. House’s volunteer engagements with SEG began in 1994 with her service on the Global Affairs Committee (then known as the International Affairs Committee). It was there that she got a foothold with our Society and started making insightful and meaningful impacts both on the current SEG and more so the SEG of the future. Her visionary leadership began in 2011 with election to the Executive Committee as secretary-treasurer, followed by service as chair of the Finance Committee. House was credited with financial stewardship that was foundational to much-needed changes to the Society’s financial system and operational accountability. Many of her contributions were at the heart of changes to SEG’s business model and current operations. Her service to the Society also included Annual Meeting general chair (2010) and director on the SEAM Board.

Biography Citation for the Life Membership Award

by Maria Angela Capello

Nancy Jo House is an outstanding professional with more than 45 years of unwavering commitment to geophysics, especially to inspiring and mentoring students, who has left a mark in our society as a pioneer. Her journey is one of resilience, innovation, and tireless dedication.

Nancy’s career trajectory spans multinational corporations and small independent oil companies, in a career journey that beyond interesting is fascinating! As an interpreter, she has navigated the complexities of onshore and offshore projects across the United States, South America, and Africa (both West and East). She recognized the Wolverine asset, discovered in 2004, early in her career at Philips in the 1980s while evaluating the possibility of a southern extension of recently discovered Wyoming overthrust through Utah. She has worked for Exxon, Phillips Petroleum, Mobil, ExxonMobil, Encana, Chevron, and EXCO Resources as chief geophysicist. She consulted for Repsol, DeGolyer and MacNaughton, and facilitated projects with the Earth Resources Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She currently advances consultancy services from Denver, Colorado, to a global capacity.

Growing up in South America and Singapore, Nancy inherited a passion for the oil field from her parents, a legacy she has carried forward with grace and tenacity. Her journey began at the University of Wyoming, where she earned her BA in geology/geophysics. Later, she honed her skills at the Colorado School of Mines, obtaining an MSc in geophysics and then continuing her postgraduate studies, delving into reservoir characterization, economics, and geophysics.

Throughout her volunteerism journey for our Society, Nancy has actively contributed to SEG committees, including SEAM, EVOLVE, the International Affairs Committee, the Women’s Network Committee, the Finance Committee, the Membership Committee, and the Executive Committee where she served as SEG secretary-treasurer.

Nancy’s middle name is Jo, and I often like to refer to her as “Nancy Jo.” She told me her parents were inspired in giving her this name by Jo March from “Little Women.” It is a very fitting name for Nancy, as when the fictional character Josephine March (Jo) would set her mind on something, it was very difficult to dissuade her from doing it — just like our own Nancy Jo House that has advanced so much for SEG.

When I met Nancy, it was to initiate what would be an overhaul work, to advance, mentor, and encourage women in geophysics and in the leadership of our Society via the launching of the SEG Women’s Network Committee back in 2011. She was the second woman president of SEG (serving as president-elect [2016–2017], president [2017–2018, and past president [2018–2019]) during a peak moment when changes related to financial health were needed for the benefit of the future of the Society.

As we celebrate Nancy Jo House’s Life Membership, I honor today her resilience, courage, and unwavering determination to keep SEG as a lighthouse for geophysicists, in particular for young professionals and women.

Biography for 2016-2017 SEG President-elect

Nancy J. House, a member of SEG for 38 years, has worked as a geophysicist for multinational corporations and small independent oil companies, primarily as an interpreter in onshore and offshore United States, South America, Africa (West and East), and other areas. She is “second-generation oil field,” growing up in South America and Singapore.

She earned a B.A. in geology/geophysics from the University of Wyoming in 1976 and an M.Sc. in geophysics from Colorado School of Mines in 1979 and did additional postgraduate work at Colorado School of Mines in reservoir characterization, economics, and geophysics in 2000–2002.

From the first SEG Annual Meeting that House attended in 1978 as a student, she knew SEG would play an important part in her career. Early on, SEG provided valuable training, networking opportunities, and guidance in professional standards and ethics. House has served on numerous SEG committees, including International Affairs (precursor to the Global Affairs Committee), GAC, Women’s Network Committee (chair in 2012–2013), finance (chair in 2012–2014), membership, and the organizing committee for the D&P research workshop in Krakow in 2013.

She was general chair of the SEG 2010 Annual Meeting and was SEG secretary-treasurer in 2011–2012. House has been a regular contributor to TLE, a presenter at meetings (winning the award for best poster in 1995), a reviewer for Geophysics, and a session chair for various meetings. She has served on the SEG China Task Force to understand critical business issues concerning SEG. She is member of AAPG, Dallas Geophysical Society, Denver Geophysical Society (past president in 2008–2010), RMAG, the Division of Environmental Geology of AAPG, AGU, AWG, and EAEG.

Position statement

SEG has evolved over 85 years to serve a diverse global membership of approximately 33,000. It must continue to adapt to support the diverse membership while maintaining its core values in a safe, sustainable, and financially sound manner. The SEG Board must provide clear strategic direction to deliver programs supporting the SEG mission to “connect, inspire, and propel the people and science of geophysics.” Committees must engage members early in their careers to create programs that support the SEG strategy regionally and globally.

Finance and other departments have made significant improvements resulting in a transparent and realistic cost of programs, allowing the SEG Board to focus on strategic initiatives in a manner that does not unfairly subsidize one part of the organization at the expense of others. The SEG Foundation transferred administration of programs to the SEG staff to focus on fund-raising. Programs should be expanded responsibly to enable implementation of the SEG mission to the next generation and to new areas.

As President, I would lead the Board and staff to facilitate strategic planning and implementation of strategies in a safe and sustainable manner. With continued dedication of staff and volunteers, SEG will continue providing guidance to generations of exploration geophysicists around the world.