UT PGE Recognizes Five Distinguished Alumni
September 22, 2025
The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (UT PGE) honored five alumni with its Distinguished Alumni Award at a ceremony and dinner Friday, Sept. 19.
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
BSPE 1989
Hossein Kazemi
BSPE 1961, PhD PE 1963
Tony Podio
BSPE 1963, MSPE 1965, PhD PE 1968
Mike Riley
BSPE 1974
Tara Sharma
BSPE 2015
Rising Star Award
“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.
Dig Deeper
- Read more about previous Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
- Follow UT PGE on LinkedIn for more alumni news.
- See photos from last year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (UT PGE) honored five alumni with its Distinguished Alumni Award at a ceremony and dinner Friday, Sept. 19.
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
BSPE 1989
Hossein Kazemi
BSPE 1961, PhD PE 1963
Tony Podio
BSPE 1963, MSPE 1965, PhD PE 1968
Mike Riley
BSPE 1974
Tara Sharma
BSPE 2015
Rising Star Award
“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.
Dig Deeper
- Read more about previous Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
- Follow UT PGE on LinkedIn for more alumni news.
- See photos from last year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.
