Steve Hill

Steve Hill

Latest company	Colorado School of Mines
President year	2009-2010
BSc	Physics
PhD	Physics and Astrophysics
BSc university	Iowa State University
PhD university	Colorado University

Steve Hill is a geophysicist whose long time association with Conoco allowed him to participate in many aspects of seismic data processing and interpretation. This experience, combined with his skill as a teacher have allowed Hill to create innovative, interesting, and informative courses on the subject of seismic data processing. Steve Hill was the 2009-2010 SEG President. He is an adjunct professor of Geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines.

Biography for SEG President Elect Candidacy

Steve Hill has a long record of SEG contributions. He authors the Geophysics Bright Spots column in TLE, is the Special Editor on the TLE Editorial Board, an Associate Editor of Geophysics, and serves as editor of SEG’s Geophysical Developments Series. He chairs the Publications Policy Committee and is a member of the Strategic Finance Committee and Governance Review Committee. Steve is also an instructor in SEG’s Continuing Education program. Steve was SEG’s Secretary-Treasurer in 2003-04, and in that role is proud that his white paper, coauthored with Brian Spies, became SEG’s three-tiered dues structure. Steve served on the SEG Finance and Audit Committee, as chair of SEG’s Ad Hoc Election Procedures Committee, as chair of the Tellers Committee, as Section Representative to the Council, on the Seismic Interpretation Pitfalls Subcommittee, and as publicity chair for an SEG Midwestern Exploration meeting in Tulsa. In 2000, SEG honored Steve with its Special Commendation Award.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics (Iowa State University) and a doctorate in physics and astrophysics (University of Colorado), Steve became a tenured faculty member at Michigan State University. In 1976, he received the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award for his public service, teaching, and programming work in telescope automation. Steve was a member of Conoco geophysics organizations from 1978 until 2002—as a processing geophysicist, manager of Conoco Seismic Processing, an interpreter of Oklahoma and Gulf of Mexico seismic data, and technology consultant for Conoco management. Steve is currently an active adjunct associate professor at Colorado School of Mines.

Position Statement

SEG fulfills its mission of promoting subsurface geophysics under the dual constraints of funding and members’ time. In fulfilling its mission, our Society becomes the center for our profession through its electronic and paper publications, meetings, forums, lectures, and scholarships. Our active members give it strength in a myriad of dimensions through unselfish contributions of time, energy, and thoughts. A key to our continued progress is capitalizing on the potential contributions of all members in a geography-blind fashion by aligning their passion with our collective needs. A second key is the continued flattening of our geophysical world, with worldwide participation contributing to SEG’s continued success. I applaud the previous officers’ efforts in increasing the breadth of the organization through the appropriate application of geophysics for the betterment of humanity by encouraging a broad, international footprint, and in their work in augmenting SEG’s traditional funding sources.

If you are not already actively contributing to SEG, I encourage you to start. You and SEG will benefit in all dimensions. We receive from SEG that which we collectively contribute.

I will be delighted to serve you as a member of your Executive Committee.

SEG Special Commendation 2000

Contributed by Kay Dautenhahn Wyatt

It gives me great pleasure to describe the activities for which Steve Hill is being honored and those personality attributes which make him a most pleasant person with whom to work.

In 1978, Steve and his wife, Ellie, concluded that a move to industry was necessary to assure that their children could attend college (one son has a PhD from Cal Tech in applied math and a second is finishing a PhD in solid state physics at the University of Minnesota). He stumbled onto a book titled Hot Careers of the 80’s and noted that geophysics came highly recommended. Though Steve knew little about this field, he did know that Raytheon, the company that made his observatory equipment, also sold computers to companies such as GSI and Conoco. Steve called Conoco and received an immediate interview.

Steve joined Conoco’s Geophysics Department in 1978 and has remained ever since. Steve’s assignments include manager of Seismic Processing, two years as an interpreter of Oklahoma and Gulf of Mexico data, and technology consultant in Conoco’s International and North American headquarters in Houston. At present, Steve follows his main interest of time-lapse seismic, and develops and offers several training courses. It is our good fortune that Steve accepted that job, because he has been a great credit to our profession. Steve served as publicity chairman for the SEG’s Midwest Meeting in 1991. He spearheaded our geoscience education program at that meeting, arranging for 50 math and science teachers to have special sessions on geophysics and tours through the exhibition. This was one of the first (if not the first) programs of that nature; similar programs have been held at SEG Annual Meetings ever since.

Steve served the Geophysical Society of Tulsa as Education Committee chairman (1991-1993), Editor (1997-1998), and President (1998-1999). Under his leadership, GST established an endowed scholarship and was active in raising SEG/GST scholarship funds and promoting the SEG Museum.

Steve’s contributions to SEG include chairing the Ad Hoc Election Procedures Committee and Tellers Committee, and serving as Section Representative, Geophysical Developments Series Editor, and on the Seismic Interpretation Pitfalls Subcommittee. Steve’s work to review SEG election procedures is the specific reason for this award. Issues raised during the 1998 election prompted the Executive Committee to decide that a comprehensive review was in order. Steve spearheaded this effort. His exhaustive analysis of potential problems and anticipation of future issues was exceptionally thorough. The recommendations he and his committee proposed were thoughtful and comprehensive. Steve also provided the follow-up to assure appropriate implementation. These efforts should guarantee that SEG elections are fair and beyond reproach.

Throughout Steve’s career and service to his community and profession, he has set an example for all to follow. Steve is a rare individual who consistently follows through when asked to do something, and is especially effective in inspiring others to participate and then ensuring they receive more than full credit for their contributions. He is very creative and quite often devises out-of-the-box solutions to challenges. Most importantly, Steve’s friends and colleagues, without exception, find him the kind of individual with whom they would always enjoy working with, and associating with, again and again.

External links

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