13 June, 2019
As part of our ESF@10 interview series we are keen to talk to a variety of
people on their interaction with the fund. Today, we talk to Ming Yi Wong,
Senior Reservoir Geophysicists at Equinor ASA in Norway.
After first being involved with EAGE as a student member she is currently
committee member in the EAGE Young Professionals Special Interest Group.
Her role within Equinor, combined with her long term involvement with
the Fund and EAGE made us curious to learn more about her experiences.
Hi Ming, thanks for joining us for this interview. Could you start by
telling us how you have been involved with the EAGE Student Fund
before?
Thanks for including me and happy to help! I have greatly benefitted from
the EAGE Student Fund during my studies. I studied at Heriot Watt
University in Edinburgh and became involved in our Student Chapter her.
My first experience of a conference was also made possible through the
ESF. My team participated in the regional Geo-Quiz and qualified to attend
the EAGE conference in 2013. This was my first EAGE conference and I was
hooked then and there!
Why is the ESF mission still important today?
We are still noticing the effects of the earlier downturn in the industry. The
work of the ESF is extremely important as it allows students for further
skills development and exposure outside of the traditional academic
environment.
This situation also provides opportunities. It is important for the ESF to
continue to carry on its current mission and in the meantime propose
innovative projects to enhance the educational experience in line with the
needs of employers. The energy landscape is changing, and so are the skills
expected from students and young professionals. Five years ago, I had not
heard of hackathons or how machine learning would impact our work.
Thanks for these insights! Looking at the current range of activities on
offer, which ones should current students definitely participate in?
So, apart from making sure you are up to speed with new knowledge from
attending conferences, Student Lecture Tours are a great way to gain new
insights. Working on real data in the Laurie Dake challenge is also an
excellent opportunity to get involved in. Most importantly, it help
individuals to see the importance of these charities, philanthropy and
giving back.
Looking back at your involvement with the fund, which activity or
project do you have the best memories of?
I have very fond memories of my first EAGE Conference & Exhibition,
which was made possible through the support of the EAGE Student Fund.
The Geo-Quiz in particular was a highlight. Two teams from Heriot Watt
signed up and one of us ended up being the champion! Being involved in
the local EAGE Student Chapter has also fostered many friendships.
To wrap things up, why to you think people of organisation should
contribute to the EAGE Student Fund today?
The EAGE Student Fund has helped many students to broaden their
professionalism and without it, it will be quite impossible for students of
similar interest to connect amongst different student chapters and
countries. The ESF plays a key role in connecting the dots, not only between
students internationally, but also between industry and academia!
About the author