UH Physics Professor Arthur B Weglein Receives

Prestigious Fessenden Award

Houston - University of Houston physics professor Arthur B. Weglein,
whose research has led to advances in the field of seismic
exploration technology, will receive the Reginald essenden Award
on !ct. "# at the $ociety of %xploration &eophysicists' annual
conference in (enver.
)he essenden award is given to someone who has made a specific
technical contri*ution to exploration geophysics, such as an invention
or a theoretical or conceptual advancement. +t is one of the highest
awards presented *y the organi,ation.
Weglein is the Hugh Roy and -illie-.ran, .ullen (istinguished
University /rofessor of physics and director of the 0ission-!riented
$eismic Research /rogram 10-!$R/2 at UH.
0-!$R/ is a petroleum industry and federal government1 3$-.0&,
(!%-B%$2 supported group of UH faculty mem*ers, researchers,
staff and graduate students who are focused on fundamental
advances in seismic processing and imaging that will *enefit the
energy exploration industry. 0-!$R/ is administered and centered
in the physics department *ut mentors students in several
departments, including the department of /hysics and the department
of %arth and Atmospheric $ciences.
)he group's goal is to more accurately locate and resolve images of
what lies deep *eneath the %arth's surface and help recover hard-to-
find oil and gas deposits. Research conducted through the 0-!$R/
has led to advances that have played a role in ma4or offshore oil
discoveries in the &ulf of 0exico and elsewhere.
+n writing the award citation for Weglein, Ro*ert H. $tolt, a
preeminent exploration seismologist, said5 6Art is very much a
theorist, though he always manages to 7eep a toe dipped in reality. At
a time when most 8research' is short term, Art's hori,on is far away,
though he is never without clear o*4ectives.
6Where success is certain, anyone may go. Art has shown a
consistent willingness to swim in deep water, and has demonstrated
his a*ility to do so,9 $tolt wrote.
)he essenden award was first given in ":;", when it was 7nown as
the $%& 0edal Award. +t was changed in ":## to recogni,e the role
of .anadian inventor Reginald essenden as the originator of the
concept of reflection and refraction surveying in ":"#.