Harvey Scholar Travels - Emily in Dubai

I was sitting in my Gas Measurement and Formation Evaluation class earlier this semester when the professor started talking about the upcoming Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (SPE ATCE) in Dubai, UAE.  When I had originally heard about the trip, I didn’t think I would be able to go because of other commitments; but, when my professor brought it up, I realized that those commitments had changed and that this was something I wanted to do.  A few short weeks later, I was flying to Los Angeles to begin my journey to Dubai.

From Los Angeles, I flew 16 hours North until North became South over the Arctic Ocean.  After over half a day in the air, I landed in Dubai with about 40 other Petroleum Engineering students from Colorado School of Mines.  I was enamored with the city from the very beginning – its culture, beauty, food, people…everything.  While there, I had the opportunity to attend ATCE where I heard the president of the largest oil and gas country in the world give opening remarks and I attended presentations with focuses on women and diversity in industry, technological advances, leadership skills, and others.  I even had the chance to cheer on the Colorado School of Mines Petrobowl team!  (4^th place in a world competition)!  It was incredible to see and connect with Petroleum Engineers from all over the world, and to hear about the engineering problems and solutions they face daily.  I also had the opportunity to explore Dubai with a trip to the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world; a desert safari; several trips to the famous Dubai malls; and more casual cultural excursions. 

The trip to Dubai was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had – on a personal and professional level.  I cannot express my gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Harvey enough!!