Farhad Abdollahzadeh Bina is pursuing a PhD in Geological Engineering at the University of North Dakota. He graduated with honors in chemical engineering from Azad University, where he gained hands-on experience in well testing and reservoir management through various internships and research projects. As a PhD student, his research focuses on innovative techniques for sustainable resource utilization and minimizing environmental impact. He is passionate about contributing to the efficient management of oil and gas reservoirs and the extraction of these resources using advanced reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, and real-time data analytics.

Lila Farden is a North Dakota Petroleum Foundation Al Golden Scholarship recipient of 2023, 2024, and 2025. She is a senior attending the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing. Her passion for the energy industry is rooted in inspiring the next generation of leaders. She has done that by being a panelist for the Minot Area Workforce Academy’s Women in Trucking event as well as being a part of Associated General Contractors of North Dakota’s Construction Leadership Council. She currently serves as the human resource and marketing assistant at Farden Construction, her family’s third generation construction company.

Jadyn Guidinger is a senior at the University of North Dakota studying Chemical Engineering. She has internship experience as a Process Engineering Intern at AbbVie and Pfizer and as an Environmental Engineering Intern at the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. On campus, Jadyn is the President of Engineers Without Borders and an active member of the Society of Women Engineers, Tau Beta Pi, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She also is part of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program at UND and an undergraduate peer mentor.

Rachael Josephs is a doctoral student at the University of North Dakota studying for a Ph.D. in Energy Engineering. In addition, she works as a Graduate Research Assistant working on hydrogen production and storage research at the College of Engineering & Mines Research Institute (CEMRI). Her Ph.D. research is focused on subsurface hydrogen storage in the North Dakota Williston Basin. Rachael has also authored and co-authored 8 Scopus indexed journals and conference papers on energy-related topics.

Kate Kessler is an honors student majoring in chemistry at the University of North Dakota. She graduated from Mandan High School in 2021 and found her passion for chemistry during her junior year of high school. Kate currently participates in the UND Tennis Club, Undergraduate Medical Association, MedLife, and Women in Science at UND. Additionally, she works as a STEM instructor at North Dakota’s Gateway to Science and serves as a STEM Ambassador for the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium. This upcoming fall, she will complete my fourth internship with NASA’s Earth Science Division. After graduating this spring, she plans to pursue a PhD in Chemistry.

Jessica Neidviecky, originally from Casselton, ND, is a second year Environmental Science and Spanish student at the University of Jamestown. In addition to her studies, Neidviecky is also involved in Cross-Country, the Wind Ensemble, and Honors program.

Tomiwa Oguntade is a PhD candidate and a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of North Dakota (UND). His research is dedicated to improving oil recovery in unconventional reservoirs using chemical enhanced oil recovery methods. His study will improve upon the existing knowledge on the application of surfactant and foam in enhanced oil recovery of Bakken formation. This work will develop a predictive model for surfactant and foam adsorption, which is essential for computational modeling. He has conducted several types of research on enhanced oil recovery and the application of machine learning in the prediction of drilling fluid properties.

Molly Rayhorn is a senior in the electrical engineering program at the University of North Dakota. She recently completed an internship as a substation intern within the transmission and distribution department at Burns & McDonnell. Upon graduation, she will be returning as a full-time assistant electrical engineer. While at school, Molly enjoys staying involved in various organizations on campus such as Engineers Without Borders, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers.

Grace Taiwo is a PhD candidate in the department of Energy Engineering at the University of North Dakota. Her research focuses on the feasibility of hydrogen storage in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, using the middle Bakken member as a case study. Previously, she has worked in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria as a geoscientist for over a decade. Grace has authored and co-authored review papers on hydrogen storage, exploring geological storage sites, economics, barriers, modelling approaches and future outlooks.

A dedicated and driven individual, Rim is an engineering major with an insatiable curiosity for machine design and exploring innovative solutions in intricate mechanical systems. Rim is also committed to fostering sustainable practices and looks forward to internship experience that intertwines the creation of technologies with the efficiency of machinery and problem-solving. Rim is a mechanical engineering major with a minor in computer science at the University of North Dakota.