Lorena Moscardelli has been named the next director of the Bureau of Economic Geology and state geologist of Texas.
Moscardelli takes over the leadership role of the oldest and second largest research institution at The University of Texas at Austin on March 17. She brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in energy research in industry and academia, most recently leading the bureau’s largest research program: the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery (STARR) program, which works to enhance the efficient production and profitability of energy and natural resources in Texas.
“It is a huge honor and a huge responsibility to direct the next chapter of the Bureau of Economic Geology,” Moscardelli said. “Throughout its more than 100-year history, the bureau has enabled the state to sustainably and efficiently develop its resources for the benefit of Texas and the nation, and it has been a key partner in making Texas the energy capital of the world. The quality of the faculty, researchers and staff at the bureau is second to none, and I look forward to leading this team and helping Texas tackle the energy and resources challenges of the future.”
Moscardelli will be the bureau’s ninth director and the first woman to lead the institution. She steps into the leadership role left by Scott Tinker, who led the bureau for nearly 25 years before retiring. Interim Director Mark Shuster will return to his role as deputy director when Moscardelli assumes leadership.
Founded in 1909, the bureau is the largest unit within the UT Jackson School of Geosciences and is the State of Texas Geological Survey, which advises state decision makers and agencies on issues related to state resources. For more than a century the bureau has led research in energy, economics and environmental issues. It also maintains the TexNet seismic network, which monitors earthquakes across the state and is critical to the safety and management of the Permian Basin, the highest producing oil field in the nation. The bureau currently supports 250 research professors, researchers and staff on grants and contracts exceeding $30 million per year.
Long a leader in oil and gas and environmental research, the bureau now has major programs in hydrogen, critical minerals, groundwater resources and geothermal energy, and is an international leader in geologic carbon capture and storage research. It is also a hub for cross-campus energy research, working closely with UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering, Energy Institute, McCombs School of Business and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center.
“The Bureau of Economic Geology is one of UT’s research engines,” Vice President for Research Dan Jaffe said. “Whether it’s working with the state’s energy producers or partners right here on the UT campus, the bureau exemplifies how energy and critical minerals research can have a positive impact on the people, communities and economy of Texas. Dr. Moscardelli’s appointment as director exemplifies UT’s commitment to both its traditional strength in oil and gas research and to an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to energy research.”
Moscardelli first came to the bureau in 2003 as a doctoral student at the Jackson School. She was there for 10 years as a student and researcher before leaving for Equinor, an international energy company, where she worked in research, exploration, and field development in the Norwegian continental shelf, offshore Canada, and the Gulf of Mexico. She returned to the bureau in 2021 to lead the STARR program. Moscardelli holds a bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering from Central University of Venezuela and a doctoral degree in Geological Sciences from UT. She has also completed executive development education at the Wharton School of Business.
“We conducted an intensive national search for the bureau director, and found the best candidate was here the whole time,” said Jackson School Dean Claudia Mora. “During her long career in energy and as program director for STARR, Lorena has reached across the state to engage energy and environment stakeholders. She is thoughtful, energetic and collaborative by nature, and has a deep commitment to the bureau and its mission. I have every confidence that Lorena will be a strong and successful director.”
Moscardelli said that among her priorities as bureau director will be to increase collaboration with partners inside and outside the university to tackle key energy and resource challenges of the future. She said she will also work to increase the bureau’s role in the Jackson School’s educational mission, including exploring educational opportunities for students and industry professionals.
