The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation

Grants-in-Aid Program

Bob and Ruth Weimer, both natives of Wyoming, were married in 1948 while doing graduate studies at the University of Wyoming – Bob in Geology and Ruth in Journalism and Political Science. They had four sons, Tom, Paul, Carl and Loren (deceased). Honoring their roots and Alma Mater, this named grant gives preference to a University of Wyoming graduate student.

After employment by Union Oil Company of California, Bob took a leave of absence to receive a PhD from Stanford (1953). He was a full-time consultant for three years specializing in stratigraphic trap exploration before starting a teaching career at the Colorado School of Mines in 1957. While at CSM, he was Department Head, Getty Professor, and now Professor Emeritus.

Bob has been a major influence in exploration for energy resources, and the training of students to enter the field. He served as President of SEPM in 1972 and AAPG in 1991. As a Fulbright Lecturer, AAPG Distinguished Lecturer, and popular international speaker, he has informed audiences across the U.S. and the globe.

His research accomplishments, publications, and professional society contributions have earned him many awards, including: the AAPG’s Sidney Powers Medal and Distinguished Educator Award; the SEPM Twenhofel Medal, and the AIPG Parker Medal. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Bob has served on advisory boards to National and State agencies. The petroleum industry still lures him to “look for a big one” through consulting work.

Paul occupies the Bruce D. Benson Endowed Chair in Petroleum Geology at the University of Colorado (UC) where he has taught for 10 years. Prior to joining UC, Paul earned a BA, Pomona College; MA, University of Colorado; and PhD, University of Texas, Austin; and did industry work with Sohio Petroleum in Alaska, and Mobil special projects unit, Dallas.

Paul specializes in sequence and seismic stratigraphy, basin analysis, and their applications to petroleum exploration and development. He is well known for publications on the deep water Gulf of Mexico that resulted from the research consortium at the Energy and Minerals Applied Research Center (ENLARC), for which he is director. Paul has been active on many AAPG committees, has been a Distinguished Lecturer, and was elected Treasurer for the term 2002-04.

Tom is a natural resource engineer with a BS in Engineering, and Master of Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, and a PE degree from the University of Washington, Seattle. After work as a project engineer with Lockheed Aerospace and Sandia National Laboratories, Tom has spent 20 years as a key staff person on science-based committees in the U. S. House of Representatives, and in the Department of Interior as Chief of Staff for Secretary Manuel Lujan. He is now Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science where he works with the U. S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Carl has used his physics background to develop laser technology to identify hydrocarbon micro-seeps in surface geochemistry exploration. His BS in Physics was from Harvey Mudd College with an MS and PhD from Colorado State University. After employment by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Ophir Corp, Carl now works for Ball Aerospace in Boulder, CO, where he is technical manager building a satellite-based laser instrument to measure clouds and aerosols. The research and technology will gather information valuable to understanding the global warming problem.

The Weimer Family Named Grant is given annually to a deserving graduate student through the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Grants-in-Aid program. First preference is given to a geology student enrolled at the University of Wyoming. This grant is awarded through the AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid Program, and is endowed through generous contributions from the Weimer Family.