Greetings from the Energy & Geoscience Institute, and best wishes for a successful 2026!
EGI continues to evolve and innovate in the energy space. Our longstanding strengths in oil and gas and geothermal research are complemented by expanding efforts in energy and carbon management, critical minerals and hydrogen, and grid resilience. As energy systems become increasingly interconnected, expertise in integrating diverse energy sources with robust transmission and grid management is essential—particularly to meet both the everyday energy needs of communities and the rapidly growing demands of data centers.
Multidisciplinary research is more important than ever in today’s competitive funding environment. With this in mind, EGI made the strategic decision late last year to relocate from Research Park to the University of Utah’s main campus. EGI is now centrally located in the Intermountain Network and Scientific Computing Center (INSCC) building, providing new opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to collaborate with colleagues across campus on interdisciplinary projects and initiatives.
Utah FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy) has successfully demonstrated the circulation potential of an enhanced geothermal system capable of generating electricity at commercial scale, under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Moore. I am pleased to announce that Dr. Kristie McLin has joined EGI as Director of Research and Science. Prior to EGI, Dr. McLin served as Director of Subsurface Technology Development at ConocoPhillips. She holds a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Utah, as well as a B.S. in geology and an M.S. in geochemistry from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
Dr. McLin will serve as the new Principal Investigator for the Utah FORGE research project. Dr. Moore, who guided the project from its inception to its current status as the world’s only full-scale field laboratory for enhanced geothermal systems, will scale back his role while remaining actively engaged.
EGI continues to diversify and strengthen connections across the energy landscape. This is reflected in the articles featured in this issue, including assessments of unconventional oil production potential in Utah, strong participation in Utah Energy Week, offshore exploration projects, and the emergence of the Utah Center for Renewables, Efficiency, and Workforce. We are especially proud of our affiliated faculty and scientists who continue to receive well-deserved recognition for their work. Congratulations to Julie Sieving on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Utah Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, and to Dr. Kristine Pankow, who has been named the 2025–26 Distinguished Lecturer for the Continental Scientific Division of the Geological Society of America. Please see the newsletter for additional recognitions.
The University of Utah also offers a Resilient Energy Certificate program, coordinated by EGI. Many of the courses are available to industry professionals. We encourage you to contact us with any questions about the program.
Please stay in touch, and we look forward to welcoming you to our new campus location.