The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (UT PGE) has announced the recipients of its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

This year’s honorees join a select group of alumni who are leaders and innovators shaping the oil and gas industry, tackling tough global energy challenges, and embodying the excellence and ingenuity that are hallmarks of UT PGE:

Mark Agnew
BSPE 1989

Dr. Hossein Kazemi
BSPE 1961, PhD PE 1963

Dr. Tony Podio
BSPE 1963, MSPE 1965, PhD PE 1968

Mike Riley
BSPE 1974

Francis Sommer
MSPE 1986

Tara Sharma
BSPE 2015
(Rising Star Award)

For nearly a century, UT PGE has educated exceptional engineers who provide reliable and affordable energy for the world. Each year, the department honors the best among them at a Distinguished Alumni awards ceremony and dinner. This year’s event will take place at the Otis Hotel on Friday, Sept. 19, followed by an alumni tailgate on the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building (CPE) Lawn on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Dig Deeper

• Learn more about the 2025 Distinguished Alumni awards, including sponsorship opportunities.
• Meet previous Distinguished Alumni Award winners.
• See photos from last year’s ceremony and tailgate.