Susan D Hovorka

Susan D. Hovorka is a Research Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. She holds a BA in Geology from Earlham College and MA/PhD from the University of Texas. Her work focuses on geologic sequestration of CO₂ to mitigate climate change, leading projects like the Gulf Coast Carbon Center and the SECARB ‘Early Test’. She also engages in K-12 science education through programs like STORECO₂NOW.

Research Interests:

• Geologic carbon sequestration in deep sedimentary environments
• Subsurface CO₂ storage efficiency and monitoring
• Public outreach and pre-college STEM education

Articles Trends:

• Focus on CO₂ storage site selection, leakage detection, and regulatory frameworks
• Integration of geomechanics, sensor technology, and machine learning for monitoring
• Assessment of CCS potential in offshore and onshore environments

Scientific Awards:

• 2008: Texas Monthly’s 35 People Shaping the Future
• 2006: Association for Women in Communications Award
• 2005: Jackson School’s Joseph C. Walter Jr. Award

Advising & Grants:

• Supervised 4 graduate students (e.g., Melianna Ulfah, Madeleine Laidlaw)
• Principal Investigator of Gulf Coast Carbon Center (funded by DOE-NETL, industry partnerships)

Labs/Teams:

• Leads the Gulf Coast Carbon Center, a hub for applied CO₂ sequestration research
• Co-developer of the Frio Pilot Test and SECARB projects