Christopher Liner has done it all. He currently holds the Maurice F. Storm endowed chair in petroleum geology at the University of Arkansas, spent years working in the oil industry, was for a time editor of Geophysics, not to mention SEG president (2014-2015). These days geothermal is his main professional preoccupation, while his rare book collection and support for animal rights take up his time outside work.
A late starter
My early academic performance was mediocre, but I was an avid reader of ancient history, science, science fiction, and the great mathematicians. With two of my brothers already in the University of Arkansas geology department I sought out iconic professor Walter Manger who said ‘You like geology and math? You are a geophysicist!’ But I struggled with math until encountering a young professor, Dennis Brewer. Under his guidance I made top grades in five semesters of calculus and applied mathematics. I took a master’s degree in geophysics from the University of Tulsa (TU) working with Stan Laster, leading to a research geophysics position with Western Geophysical in London where I became a lifelong Anglophile.
London the bridge
In London, conversations with my classmates back home who worked for oil companies convinced me that was the direction I needed to go. I joined Conoco in Oklahoma City as an exploration geophysicist. Back then firming up a prospect before drilling took years. Today a geophysicist on a shale oil team can drill dozens of wells per year. Final academic training was a doctorate at the Colorado School of Mines working with Norm Bleistein and Jack Cohen. I then joined the faculty of the TU Department of Geosciences. My teaching notes eventually became Elements of 3D Seismology. I also started the long-running column Seismos (now the online Seismos Report) and met Sven Treitel, a lifelong mentor and friend. Through Sven I became assistant editor and, ultimately, editor of Geophysics. Sven even took credit for introducing me to my future wife, Dolores Proubasta.
Industry and academia
After TU I joined Saudi Aramco as a research geophysicist in Dhahran, arguably my most interesting career adventure. Scientific research is more central to the life of a service company, while hydrocarbon prospecting and production are the focus of oil companies; I thoroughly enjoyed both environments. Academic life is less structured, direct reward for accomplishments, and constant enrichment from students. My other academic appointments were at the University of Houston and the University of Arkansas (U of A) since 2012 serving as department chair and associate dean. Although honoured by such posts, my interest has always been in solving physical problems. Geoscience is at the centre of some great issues of our time: energy, climate, water, metals, and critical minerals. I relentlessly advise geoscience students to double major or at least minor in another field to enhance career opportunities.
Professional service
My SEG volunteer work ultimately led to the presidency. All of our professional societies are under stress as declining employment numbers in traditional fields translate into membership decline. But the mantra of perpetual growth can be a distraction. Perhaps it is better we manage the best possible society based on current membership and realistic forecasts. The future of societies lies with co-operation, avoiding the duplication of programmes that members are less and less willing to fund.
Beyond science
My lifelong love affair with rare books is not just about holding an artifact in your hand, but sharing the thoughts of a mind from long ago, e.g., Euclid, Pliny, Suetonius, Shakespeare, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Orwell, and so many more. The Liner Rare Book Collection at U of A was established in 2021 to eventually house my cherished 400+ volumes. In 2022 Dolores and I also endowed the Proubasta-Liner Animal Rights Speaker Series at the university law school to address the diversity of non-human life on Earth and their right to co-exist with us.
Geothermal!
Our civilisation’s focus on immediate energy problems has overshadowed a powerful, long-term solution right beneath our feet: Utility-scale geothermal power. Intellectually, I find the topic a fascinating blend of physics, reservoir engineering, geology, and geophysics. While traditional hot spot geothermal power has been harnessed for over a century, new methods are making it accessible anywhere. This burgeoning industry is poised to change the world based on technology we have today. Geothermal is a 100,000-year solution to our insatiable energy needs and is a crucial pathway to a cleaner, more liveable planet. For the remainder of my career, I am committed to advancing this cause through teaching, research and innovation.
