Katherine D Romanak

Katherine D. Romanak is a Research Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology within the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. She specializes in geochemistry and carbon sequestration, focusing on soil-gas monitoring, microbial influences, and the fate of contaminants in subsurface environments. Her work includes large-scale projects like the Southeast Carbon Partnership and the Kerr Farm Assessment in Saskatchewan.

Education:

• B.S. Geology, Southern Methodist University (1984)
• M.S. Geology, University of Texas at Arlington (1988)
• Ph.D. Geology, University of Texas at Austin (1997)

Research interests emphasize carbon cycling dynamics, shallow subsurface monitoring, and CO2 storage safety. Notable contributions include developing process-based soil-gas methods to detect CO2 leakage and assessing environmental impacts of CO2 injection in oilfields. Her work integrates geochemical modeling with field experiments, as seen in studies at the Cranfield Mississippi site.

Key awards include Jackson School Equipment Awards (2009, 2010) and a Career Development Publications Award (2009). She has led international initiatives, such as guest editing special issues on carbon storage and co-chairing global workshops on CO2 monitoring challenges.

Professional activities span academic outreach, K-12 education, and stakeholder engagement. She collaborates with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Department of Energy, advancing CCS technologies and policy alignment.