UT PGE 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards

The award is given annually to UT PGE alumni who are leaders in the oil and gas industry — educators, executives, innovators and entrepreneurs with unmatched industry expertise. This year’s recipients reflect UT PGE’s commitment to educating the world’s best subsurface engineers and equipping them with the exceptional skills needed to provide sustainable, affordable and reliable energy for the world.

Mark Agnew

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1989

Mark Agnew, originally from Australia, has built a rewarding career in the oil and gas industry. After spending his early years in Singapore and Australia, he moved to Houston, Texas, during high school, following his father’s career in oil and gas. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with high honors in December 1989.

Mark began his career with British Gas in Houston (1990–1991), working on assets in Tunisia. He then joined Exxon in New Orleans, where from 1991 to 2000 he held various roles in reservoir, drilling, completions and commercial operations, eventually becoming a reservoir engineering supervisor focused on South Louisiana and offshore fields. In 2000, Mark moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, as reservoir and subsurface engineering manager for EM Indonesia, leading teams managing the Arun gas field. In 2003 he relocated to Houston where he served as regional coordinator for Canada and South America. In 2005 he became production operations superintendent at Mobile Bay in Alabama, followed by a role as U.S. equity crude sales manager in Fairfax, Virginia (2005–2007), managing a team of crude oil traders.

From 2007 to 2009, Mark was the U.S. production operations technical subsurface engineering manager in Houston. He then relocated to Anchorage, Alaska, serving as operations technical manager for ExxonMobil Alaska (2009–2013), representing the company’s interests in Prudhoe Bay. Between 2013 and 2017, Mark held a global role in Houston as subsurface engineering and wellwork operations support manager.

In 2017, he moved to Abu Dhabi as Middle East joint venture wells manager and Qatar subsurface manager, later relocating to Doha in 2019. In this role, he supported JV wells and reservoir engineering activities with partners including QatarEnergy, ADNOC Offshore and Basra Oil Company. In 2023, Mark assumed his current role as wells and production engineering chief, continuing to lead innovation in drilling, completions, well management and production engineering.

Mark is married to Rowena, a fellow UT Austin alum. Their daughters, Katherine and Jennifer, are also UT Austin engineering graduates. He is a proud grandfather to Owen and Mila.

Hossein Kazemi

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1961
Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, 1963

Hossein Kazemi began his college education at The University of Texas at Austin in January 1957, graduated with a BS in Petroleum Engineering in January 1961, and received a PhD in Petroleum Engineering in 1963. After graduation he was hired by Sinclair Research (i.e., Sinclair Oil Corporation) as a research scientist on July 31, 1963. (Ironically, he met his future wife Bonnie on this same day and got married on July 31, 1964.) Because of Sinclair’s merger with ARCO, he was transferred to the ARCO research center in Plano, Texas, where he began modeling the freeze-thaw cycle of the Prudhoe Bay drilling platforms.

In September 1963, Dr. Kazemi joined Marathon Oil Technology Center in Littleton, Colorado, as a research scientist. At Marathon, he transitioned from scientist to manager of the engineering department (1980–1988), director of production technology research and co-director of the technology center (1988–1996), technical fellow (1996–2000), and executive technical fellow (2000).

Dr. Kazemi always enjoyed teaching and research; thus, in 1964 he began teaching operational mathematics at the University of Tulsa in the evenings while working at Sinclair Research. Later, in 1981, he began teaching evening graduate courses such as reservoir simulation at Colorado School of Mines. During this period, he also advised a number of MS and PhD students until he was appointed Chesebro’ Distinguished Chair in Petroleum Engineering in 2006. He currently holds this position and takes pride in the fact that he has supervised and graduated more than 50 PhDs and more than 20 MS students. He has authored and co-authored nearly two hundred technical papers and several book chapters, and is co-author of the book Pore Scale Phenomena. His research interests revolve around transport mechanisms in subsurface porous media with a focus on flow in nano-pores, fractured media, enhanced oil recovery and enhanced geothermal systems.

Dr. Kazemi is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (1999) and an honorary and distinguished member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (1992). He is the recipient of SPE’s John Franklin Carll Award (1987), Distinguished Technical Service Award (1991), DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal (1995), Improved Oil Recovery Pioneer Award (2006), Rocky Mountain North America Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award (2008); and Legion of Honor (2009). He is also an honorary member of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (1994).

Tony Podio

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1963
M.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1965
Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, 1968

Tony Podio is currently a petroleum engineering consultant specializing in artificial lift with a focus on technology applications for the optimization of well performance. Formerly, he was a professor in the Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Austin where he taught and directed research in the areas of drilling and production. He was visiting professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology where he lectured and directed research at the Division of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics, and was visiting professor at the Australian School of Petroleum of the University of Adelaide where he taught advanced production operations courses. He holds BS, MS and PhD degrees in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and a BS in Mining and Petroleum Engineering from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia.

He has been a distinguished speaker and technical editor for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), has published numerous articles in international journals, holds seven U.S. patents, and is co-author of “The Beamlift Handbook” and “Acoustic Fluid Level Measurements in Oil and Gas Wells Handbook” published by the Petroleum Extension Service at The University of Texas at Austin (PETEX). He received the J.C. Slonneger Award from the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course of Texas Tech University and the Award for Exemplary Service and Contribution from the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas, is an SPE Legion of Honor member, and received the SPE Legends of Artificial Lift award.

Mike Riley

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 1974

Roy Michael “Mike” Riley, born on August 4, 1951, in Perryton, Texas, has had a distinguished career in the petroleum industry spanning several decades. A dedicated professional with deep expertise in reservoir engineering, drilling operations and production forecasting, he has played a pivotal role in the development of numerous oil and gas projects. Mike graduated as the salutatorian of Gruver High School in 1969 before earning a BS in Petroleum Engineering with highest honors from The University of Texas at Austin in December 1973. Throughout his career, he continuously expanded his expertise through industry courses in well log analysis, pressure transient analysis and management development.

Mike began his career at Tenneco Oil Company in 1973 as a trainee production and drilling engineer before advancing to reservoir engineering roles covering the Texas Gulf Coast, North Louisiana and offshore Louisiana. His technical acumen led him to Cotton Petroleum Company, where he served as a reservoir engineer and later a district petroleum engineer, overseeing drilling, completions and production operations. In 1979, Mike transitioned to Courson Oil and Gas, Inc., where he became an exploration manager, overseeing operations in the Anadarko Basin across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. His leadership facilitated the drilling of nearly 400 wells, with responsibilities spanning drilling supervision, completion design and regulatory compliance. In 1998, he founded Riley Energy Resources, LLC, offering consulting services in well design, reservoir analysis and expert testimony for court proceedings. He later returned to Courson Oil and Gas in 2007 as operations manager, leading the design and completion of approximately 150 horizontal wells before retiring in 2019.

Beyond his professional achievements, Mike has served as board member and president of the Panhandle Producers and Royalty Owners Association, Perryton Independent School District, and Ochiltree County Appraisal Review Board. His dedication extended to faith-based leadership, serving as deacon, elder and board chairman at the First Christian Church of Perryton and Board of Elders chair at Lifegate Church. Additionally, he devoted 18 years to the Kairos Prison Ministry, reflecting his passion for service and mentorship. Mike has been happily married to Linn Robinson Riley since 1969. Together, they have two children, Amy Linn Dear and John Michael Riley, and four beloved grandchildren: Riley Thomas Dear, Emily Riley Savage, Ashton Jake Dear, and Cole Allen Riley. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, leadership and community, Mike’s legacy extends far beyond his professional contributions, leaving a lasting mark on the petroleum industry and the people he has served.

Tara Sharma (Rising Star Award)

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, 2015

Tara Sharma is a director at RedOaks Energy Advisors, where she has played a key role in advising clients on oil and gas transactions since joining the firm in February 2020. With a strong technical background and strategic insight, Tara brings a dynamic perspective to energy advisory services, grounded in her years of engineering experience in the oil and gas industry. In addition to her client-facing work, she leads a high-performing team, fostering collaboration and excellence across projects.

Tara began her career at Anadarko Petroleum in 2015 after graduating with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Petroleum Engineering. At Anadarko, she held several impactful roles in both reservoir and production engineering, working in the company’s Houston and Midland offices. Her work encompassed multivariate statistical modeling and production engineering, with a focus on the Northern and Eastern Delaware Basin. She also contributed to Anadarko’s corporate planning team, where she was responsible for dynamic modeling of capital and production budgets.

Tara is a committed leader in the oil and gas community. She currently serves as chairperson of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Dallas chapter and sits on the board of the Dallas chapter of Young Professionals in Energy (YPE). In 2024, she was honored with SPE Dallas chapter’s Young Engineer of the Year Award in recognition of her professional excellence and community involvement. Previously, while based in Midland, she served as social director for the YPE Midland chapter. She was named one of Hart Energy’s 2022 Forty Under 40, highlighting her as one of the top young professionals in the energy sector.

A native of Austin, Texas, Tara is proud of her Longhorn roots. While at UT Austin, she served as president of the SPE student chapter and was an active member of the Friar Society, the university’s oldest honor society. Upon graduation, she received the UT College of Engineering’s Outstanding Student Scholar Award and the Texas Exes President’s Leadership Award.

Tara lives in Dallas with her husband, Kirk, and their son, Ty. She balances a demanding professional career with a deep commitment to family, community engagement, and leadership within the energy industry.

“As we celebrate our 2025 Distinguished Alumni, I’m reminded of our legacy of excellence, expertise and innovation,” said Department Chair Matthew T. Balhoff during the ceremony. “The example set by tonight’s honorees sets the bar high for the next generation of energy leaders, and as the pre-eminent academic department in the world for education, advocacy and innovation in subsurface energy production, we remain dedicated to preparing our students to tackle the energy challenges of the future.”

This year’s ceremony marks the 15th time UT PGE has given the Distinguished Alumni award, its highest recognition to graduates of its top-ranked petroleum engineering program. Recipients are selected by a committee of UT PGE alumni, including past award honorees. Francis Sommer (MSPE 1986) was also selected to receive a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award, but couldn’t attend the ceremony and has deferred accepting his award until 2026.