Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber
EAGE has been my north star, from student to academic to technology leader – it has shaped how I learn, connect and grow as a geoscientist. I frankly couldn’t imagine Geoscience without EAGE.
While so many things in our beautiful world appear increasingly unpredictable these days, one thing remains solid and stable – EAGE remains the home for professionals and academics in Europe and around the globe. If you are a renewable energy engineer, mining geophysicist, petrophysicist, natural hazards expert, and many more practitioners – EAGE provides platforms for learning, knowledge exchange and building lasting professional and personal networks.
Geoscience plays an increasingly important role in addressing significant challenges including the green transition and management & mitigation of increasingly frequent and powerful natural hazards. With close to 20,000 members, EAGE is well positioned to provide the needed platforms to link professionals with each other and connect problem owners with solution providers. As Vice President I will pursue these opportunities by bridging disciplines to accelerate innovation and by raising awareness of the vital impact Geoscience and Engineering have on society.
Andi A. Pfaffhuber (PhD Applied Geophysics, University of Bremen, 2006; MSc Applied Geoscience, TU Berlin, 2001) is Managing Director and co-founder of EMerald Geomodelling (Oslo, est. 2019). Prior to founding EMerald, he spent 12 years at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute in geophysical research and leadership roles. His research focus is the transformation of airborne electromagnetic methods into quantitative engineering decision-support tools, with applications in infrastructure, mining, and geohazard assessment. His expertise spans geophysical data integration, machine learning-based subsurface modelling, and geotechnical risk characterization.
Christian H. Henke
I am deeply honored to have been nominated for re-election to the position of EAGE Secretary-Treasurer.
Since my initial election to this role in June 2024, I have contributed my skills and experience to EAGE’s ongoing success and growth. Our global association is currently confronted with unprecedented challenges, including geopolitical tensions, market changes, and the imperative shift towards sustainable energy. The promotion of geoscientific and engineering advancements—and their practical applications—is now more vital than ever. I am eager to continue the strategic initiatives that have been launched and implemented to make EAGE stronger and more influential worldwide.
As an EAGE member for almost 40 years, and a passionate geoscientist and energy expert, I am strongly committed to supporting the organization’s mission and fostering collaboration among geoscientists and engineers globally. EAGE is an association steered by members, for the members. I possess a diverse skill set that includes proficiency in business processes, personnel, and technology management. Additionally, I bring a strong combination of financial expertise and forward-thinking strategic planning, underscored by a steadfast dedication to transparency and accountability. I believe that clear communication and responsible financial management are the cornerstones of any successful organization.
My background in geoscience, combined with experience in organizational management and financial oversight, has equipped me with the necessary skills to excel in this role.
Thank you for considering my re-election for the role of EAGE Secretary-Treasurer.
Flora Garofalo
I hold a Master of Science in Environmental and Geological Engineering as well as a Ph.D. in Applied Geophysics from Politecnico di Torino, Italy, where I conducted my research under the supervision of Professors Laura Valentina Socco and Sebastiano Foti. I began then my career in the Oil & Gas industry, working as a geophysicist for both Eni in Italy and then TotalEnergies in France. In between, I also gained experience as an environmental engineer focused on air-pollution monitoring.
Alongside my professional work, I have been an active EAGE member for many years (proudly platinum). For the past six years, I have served as a member of the Education Committee, currently in my third and final term ending in September 2026. Even during my temporary shift away from geoscience, I continued contributing to the Committee—an experience that strengthened my commitment to geoscience and confirmed my desire to return fully to the field. I am also part of the Geo-Communication and Public Engagement Community, since its earliest conceptual stages.
The position of Education Officer represents a natural progression of my longstanding involvement in the Education Committee, where I have greatly benefited from the guidance of Maren Kleemeyer and I would be honoured to build upon the strong foundations she has established.
From my perspective, two key challenges stand out: student outreach—especially at the high-school level and support to the energy transition through skills mapping and training.
Across Europe, we are witnessing a decline in students choosing geoscience degrees. As a professional association, we need to strengthen the connection along the full chain: high school - university - industry/academia. To do this, I would like to strengthen the collaboration between the Education Committee and the Geo-Communication and Public Engagement Community and leverage the network of local student chapters. Students are often the most effective ambassadors to younger audiences and with support from professionals, they can help showcase the diverse, exciting, and meaningful career paths in geoscience.
Regarding the evolving energy landscape, EAGE plays a strategic role in guiding members. I would be enthusiastic to continue the work initiated by Maren on mapping transferable skills from Oil & Gas to emerging energy domains. Expanding and diversifying the education catalogue to cover geoscience applications across geothermal, CCUS, offshore wind, near-surface geophysics, and other natural energy sectors will be essential.
Additionally, as already education committee member, I have observed that we are sometimes asked to evaluate courses outside our specific technical expertise. I would therefore encourage stronger collaboration with technical committees and circles, ensuring that subject-matter experts can join interviews or reviews when needed to provide robust technical recommendations.
Ultimately, I believe the strength of EAGE lies in the collaboration among its committees, communities, and circles. As Education Officer, my goal would be to foster these connections, ensuring a coherent, innovative, and accessible education offer for all our members. Thank you very much for considering my application.
I would be honoured to contribute my experience, passion for education, and commitment to the geoscience community in this role.
Martin Widmaier
EAGE conferences, workshops, lectures, and publications have been central to my learning, professional development, and networking throughout both my education and career. Serving the association as Technical Programme Officer (TPO) during my first term was a rewarding opportunity to give back to an organisation from which I have personally benefited enormously.
As EAGE’s TPO, I will continue to support the association and its members by:
- Ensuring that EAGE conferences deliver high‑quality technical programmes aligned with the association’s mission to promote the development and application of geosciences and related engineering disciplines.
- Facilitating technical agendas that encourage cross‑disciplinary learning and collaboration, enabling knowledge exchange across traditional domain boundaries.
- Promoting innovation, technological advancement, and knowledge transfer that support affordable access to hydrocarbons, the mitigation of carbon emissions, and the transition towards renewable energy solutions.
- Providing strong platforms for young professionals to present their work, expand their professional networks, and develop along their career paths towards a sustainable future.
- Supporting the activities of EAGE’s three circles—the Oil and Gas Circle (OGC), the Environment, Minerals and Infrastructure Circle (EMIC), and the Sustainable Energy Circle (SEC)—both within each circle and through cross‑disciplinary initiatives.
- Maintaining and strengthening collaboration with international geoscientific societies, fostering global exchange and cooperation.
Esben Auken
I am deeply committed to advancing geoscience collaboration, as I believe a strong community is essential for addressing global challenges such as water scarcity and the increasing demand for minerals. My motivation to work as the EAGE Vice Chair of the Environment, Minerals, and Infrastructure Circle stems from a profound belief that fostering connections among geoscientists is critical for supporting the sustainable development of our society.
Throughout my career as a researcher and professor at Aarhus University, Denmark, I focused on developing innovative technologies for mapping groundwater resources. I led a research group that was most likely the largest of its kind globally, dedicated to advancing electronics, algorithms, and practical field surveys. After a brief tenure as deputy director in the governmental administration, I have spent the last three years leading a scale-up company where we develop, produce, and sell transient electromagnetic technology for mapping groundwater and minerals. Our primary focus is on user accessibility, which we see as key to broadening the impact of our technology beyond academic expert circles. Under my leadership, our company has expanded its technology globally, enabling more efficient groundwater mapping and mineral exploration for both academic and commercial users. We have been very successful in bridging the gap between research and real-world application.
This background provides a strong stepping stone for bridging the academic and commercial worlds – an objective I am eager to pursue as Vice Chair. I am confident that my experience and commitment will help further the EAGE circle’s mission and contribute meaningful advancements to the geoscience community.
Diego Rovetta
I am pleased to submit my motivation for a second term as Cooperation and Membership Officer of EAGE. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege to serve the Association during an important phase of development, focused on building foundations, strengthening connections, and addressing structural challenges related to membership, inclusiveness, and community engagement.
Much has been accomplished during this first term but even more has been initiated. I believe that the coming years should be dedicated to execution, consolidation, and monitoring, ensuring that the initiatives launched translate into lasting impact for EAGE and its members. Continuity in this role would allow me to fully capitalize on the work already completed and to guide it toward measurable and sustainable outcomes.
My motivation remains centred on increasing the overall number of EAGE members, attracting more students both at university level and earlier in their educational journey, promoting equality and inclusiveness across the Association, and empowering local communities and individual members by recognizing their contributions, retaining and strengthening their role within EAGE.
During the past term, several concrete actions were implemented in support of these goals. These include the launch of the EAGE Champion Membership campaign to recognize outstanding professional and student Local Chapters, the EAGE Volunteering campaign to acknowledge and reward volunteer engagement, and a significant improvement in communication with Local Chapters through regular direct meetings, which allowed me to connect personally with most of them. Important steps were also taken to enhance inclusiveness, for example, by lifting the age limit for sponsored student membership to 34 years, reflecting more diverse personal, educational and career paths. In parallel, a new and more effective format of engagement was introduced with affiliated societies, and additional budget was secured to support the PACE and Ukrainian student funds, reinforcing EAGE’s commitment to education, equality, and social responsibility.
Despite these advances, much of this work is still at an early stage. A second term would enable me to further strengthen and scale successful initiatives, monitor their effectiveness, deepen engagement with students and local communities, and ensure that cooperation and membership remain central pillars of EAGE’s strategy.
I remain fully committed to serving EAGE with dedication, transparency, and a strong member-centric approach, and I would be honoured to continue contributing to the Association in this role.
Andi A. Pfaffhuber
Candidate for Vice President
Currently CEO of Emerald Geomodelling
EAGE has been my north star, from student to academic to technology leader – it has shaped how I learn, connect and grow as a geoscientist. I frankly couldn’t imagine Geoscience without EAGE.
While so many things in our beautiful world appear increasingly unpredictable these days, one thing remains solid and stable – EAGE remains the home for professionals and academics in Europe and around the globe. If you are a renewable energy engineer, mining geophysicist, petrophysicist, natural hazards expert, and many more practitioners – EAGE provides platforms for learning, knowledge exchange and building lasting professional and personal networks.
Geoscience plays an increasingly important role in addressing significant challenges including the green transition and management & mitigation of increasingly frequent and powerful natural hazards. With close to 20,000 members, EAGE is well positioned to provide the needed platforms to link professionals with each other and connect problem owners with solution providers. As Vice President I will pursue these opportunities by bridging disciplines to accelerate innovation and by raising awareness of the vital impact Geoscience and Engineering have on society.
Andi A. Pfaffhuber (PhD Applied Geophysics, University of Bremen, 2006; MSc Applied Geoscience, TU Berlin, 2001) is Managing Director and co-founder of EMerald Geomodelling (Oslo, est. 2019). Prior to founding EMerald, he spent 12 years at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute in geophysical research and leadership roles. His research focus is the transformation of airborne electromagnetic methods into quantitative engineering decision-support tools, with applications in infrastructure, mining, and geohazard assessment. His expertise spans geophysical data integration, machine learning-based subsurface modelling, and geotechnical risk characterization.
Esben Auken
Candidate for Vice-Chair Environment, Minerals, and Infrastructure Circle
Currently CEO at TEMcompany, Adjunct Professor at Aarhus University
I am deeply committed to advancing geoscience collaboration, as I believe a strong community is essential for addressing global challenges such as water scarcity and the increasing demand for minerals. My motivation to work as the EAGE Vice Chair of the Environment, Minerals, and Infrastructure Circle stems from a profound belief that fostering connections among geoscientists is critical for supporting the sustainable development of our society.
Throughout my career as a researcher and professor at Aarhus University, Denmark, I focused on developing innovative technologies for mapping groundwater resources. I led a research group that was most likely the largest of its kind globally, dedicated to advancing electronics, algorithms, and practical field surveys. After a brief tenure as deputy director in the governmental administration, I have spent the last three years leading a scale-up company where we develop, produce, and sell transient electromagnetic technology for mapping groundwater and minerals. Our primary focus is on user accessibility, which we see as key to broadening the impact of our technology beyond academic expert circles. Under my leadership, our company has expanded its technology globally, enabling more efficient groundwater mapping and mineral exploration for both academic and commercial users. We have been very successful in bridging the gap between research and real-world application.
This background provides a strong stepping stone for bridging the academic and commercial worlds – an objective I am eager to pursue as Vice Chair. I am confident that my experience and commitment will help further the EAGE circle’s mission and contribute meaningful advancements to the geoscience community.
Christian H. Henke
Re-Elected for Secretary-Treasurer
Currently Head of Exploration & Geo Field Services at DMT Group
I am deeply honored to have been nominated for re-election to the position of EAGE Secretary-Treasurer.
Since my initial election to this role in June 2024, I have contributed my skills and experience to EAGE’s ongoing success and growth. Our global association is currently confronted with unprecedented challenges, including geopolitical tensions, market changes, and the imperative shift towards sustainable energy. The promotion of geoscientific and engineering advancements—and their practical applications—is now more vital than ever. I am eager to continue the strategic initiatives that have been launched and implemented to make EAGE stronger and more influential worldwide.
As an EAGE member for almost 40 years, and a passionate geoscientist and energy expert, I am strongly committed to supporting the organization’s mission and fostering collaboration among geoscientists and engineers globally. EAGE is an association steered by members, for the members. I possess a diverse skill set that includes proficiency in business processes, personnel, and technology management. Additionally, I bring a strong combination of financial expertise and forward-thinking strategic planning, underscored by a steadfast dedication to transparency and accountability. I believe that clear communication and responsible financial management are the cornerstones of any successful organization.
My background in geoscience, combined with experience in organizational management and financial oversight, has equipped me with the necessary skills to excel in this role.
Thank you for considering my re-election for the role of EAGE Secretary-Treasurer.
Martin Widmaier
Re-Elected for Technical Programme Officer
Currently Chief Geophysicist at Petroleum Geo-Services
EAGE conferences, workshops, lectures, and publications have been central to my learning, professional development, and networking throughout both my education and career. Serving the association as Technical Programme Officer (TPO) during my first term was a rewarding opportunity to give back to an organisation from which I have personally benefited enormously.
As EAGE’s TPO, I will continue to support the association and its members by:
- Ensuring that EAGE conferences deliver high‑quality technical programmes aligned with the association’s mission to promote the development and application of geosciences and related engineering disciplines.
- Facilitating technical agendas that encourage cross‑disciplinary learning and collaboration, enabling knowledge exchange across traditional domain boundaries.
- Promoting innovation, technological advancement, and knowledge transfer that support affordable access to hydrocarbons, the mitigation of carbon emissions, and the transition towards renewable energy solutions.
- Providing strong platforms for young professionals to present their work, expand their professional networks, and develop along their career paths towards a sustainable future.
- Supporting the activities of EAGE’s three circles—the Oil and Gas Circle (OGC), the Environment, Minerals and Infrastructure Circle (EMIC), and the Sustainable Energy Circle (SEC)—both within each circle and through cross‑disciplinary initiatives.
- Maintaining and strengthening collaboration with international geoscientific societies, fostering global exchange and cooperation.
Diego Rovetta
Re-Elected for Membership & Cooperation Officer
Currently Engineering Manager GroundIQ at Fugro
I am pleased to submit my motivation for a second term as Cooperation and Membership Officer of EAGE. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege to serve the Association during an important phase of development, focused on building foundations, strengthening connections, and addressing structural challenges related to membership, inclusiveness, and community engagement.
Much has been accomplished during this first term but even more has been initiated. I believe that the coming years should be dedicated to execution, consolidation, and monitoring, ensuring that the initiatives launched translate into lasting impact for EAGE and its members. Continuity in this role would allow me to fully capitalize on the work already completed and to guide it toward measurable and sustainable outcomes.
My motivation remains centred on increasing the overall number of EAGE members, attracting more students both at university level and earlier in their educational journey, promoting equality and inclusiveness across the Association, and empowering local communities and individual members by recognizing their contributions, retaining and strengthening their role within EAGE.
During the past term, several concrete actions were implemented in support of these goals. These include the launch of the EAGE Champion Membership campaign to recognize outstanding professional and student Local Chapters, the EAGE Volunteering campaign to acknowledge and reward volunteer engagement, and a significant improvement in communication with Local Chapters through regular direct meetings, which allowed me to connect personally with most of them. Important steps were also taken to enhance inclusiveness, for example, by lifting the age limit for sponsored student membership to 34 years, reflecting more diverse personal, educational and career paths. In parallel, a new and more effective format of engagement was introduced with affiliated societies, and additional budget was secured to support the PACE and Ukrainian student funds, reinforcing EAGE’s commitment to education, equality, and social responsibility.
Despite these advances, much of this work is still at an early stage. A second term would enable me to further strengthen and scale successful initiatives, monitor their effectiveness, deepen engagement with students and local communities, and ensure that cooperation and membership remain central pillars of EAGE’s strategy.
I remain fully committed to serving EAGE with dedication, transparency, and a strong member-centric approach, and I would be honoured to continue contributing to the Association in this role.
Flora Garofalo
Candidate for Education Officer
Currently Senior Geophysicist at TotalEnergies
I hold a Master of Science in Environmental and Geological Engineering as well as a Ph.D. in Applied Geophysics from Politecnico di Torino, Italy, where I conducted my research under the supervision of Professors Laura Valentina Socco and Sebastiano Foti. I began then my career in the Oil & Gas industry, working as a geophysicist for both Eni in Italy and then TotalEnergies in France. In between, I also gained experience as an environmental engineer focused on air-pollution monitoring.
Alongside my professional work, I have been an active EAGE member for many years (proudly platinum). For the past six years, I have served as a member of the Education Committee, currently in my third and final term ending in September 2026. Even during my temporary shift away from geoscience, I continued contributing to the Committee—an experience that strengthened my commitment to geoscience and confirmed my desire to return fully to the field. I am also part of the Geo-Communication and Public Engagement Community, since its earliest conceptual stages.
The position of Education Officer represents a natural progression of my longstanding involvement in the Education Committee, where I have greatly benefited from the guidance of Maren Kleemeyer and I would be honoured to build upon the strong foundations she has established.
From my perspective, two key challenges stand out: student outreach—especially at the high-school level and support to the energy transition through skills mapping and training.
Across Europe, we are witnessing a decline in students choosing geoscience degrees. As a professional association, we need to strengthen the connection along the full chain: high school – university – industry/academia. To do this, I would like to strengthen the collaboration between the Education Committee and the Geo-Communication and Public Engagement Community and leverage the network of local student chapters. Students are often the most effective ambassadors to younger audiences and with support from professionals, they can help showcase the diverse, exciting, and meaningful career paths in geoscience.
Regarding the evolving energy landscape, EAGE plays a strategic role in guiding members. I would be enthusiastic to continue the work initiated by Maren on mapping transferable skills from Oil & Gas to emerging energy domains. Expanding and diversifying the education catalogue to cover geoscience applications across geothermal, CCUS, offshore wind, near-surface geophysics, and other natural energy sectors will be essential.
Additionally, as already education committee member, I have observed that we are sometimes asked to evaluate courses outside our specific technical expertise. I would therefore encourage stronger collaboration with technical committees and circles, ensuring that subject-matter experts can join interviews or reviews when needed to provide robust technical recommendations.
Ultimately, I believe the strength of EAGE lies in the collaboration among its committees, communities, and circles. As Education Officer, my goal would be to foster these connections, ensuring a coherent, innovative, and accessible education offer for all our members. Thank you very much for considering my application.
I would be honoured to contribute my experience, passion for education, and commitment to the geoscience community in this role.
