Young professionals (YPs) in the SPE Delta Section have been active in the section’s initiative to advance the Energy4me program in Greater New Orleans, promoting energy awareness and industry career opportunities among area students. Berik Zhakiyanov of Chevron spoke about the petroleum industry not long ago to 8th graders at H.T. Harris School in Metairie, Louisiana, and 6th graders at Little Oak Middle School in Slidell, Louisiana. Zhakiyanov told the 6th-grade audience about the importance of oil and gas and the basic processes involved in finding and extracting it, as well as delivering petroleum products to consumers. His discussion with 8th graders went somewhat deeper and introduced the students to career possibilities in the oil and gas industry.
The section also participated in the Sally Ride Science Festival at Tulane University during March, where Louisiana State University engineering student Lauren Fogarty, and Delta Section YP Melissa Nance, Shell, spoke with female students in 5th through 8th grades about the oil and gas industry. Fogarty and Nance explained the vital role that petroleum engineers play in developing and sustaining hydrocarbon reserves around the world and answered numerous questions from the students. The festival was a big success; more than 100 students participated, and the dialogue piqued the interest of a number of them in becoming engineers!