Tom Blasingame, 2021 SPE President, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Blasingame is one of 158 new members elected to the 2026 NAE class, which honors engineers’ contributions in research, innovation, and academic leadership. He is head of Texas A&M University's Department of Petroleum Engineering, a role he has held since 2024.
“We are proud of Thomas Blasingame for this outstanding recognition. His long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service exemplifies the strength of our faculty and the impact they have on students, the university, and the broader engineering community,” said Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering. “Blasingame’s leadership and dedication reflect the highest standards of Texas A&M University, and we are grateful for the contributions he continues to make to our academic mission.”
Blasingame is an SPE Honorary Member and was the second SPE president to come directly from academia.
Aside from his duties in the classroom and guiding graduate students through research and degree paths, Blasingame served as assistant department head for graduate programs within the petroleum engineering department from 1997 to 2003. He also served in other academic service roles, such as the Faculty Senate, the Council for Principal Investigators, and the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
Blasingame was named an SPE Distinguished Member in 2000 and is the recipient of numerous SPE honors and awards, including the Distinguished Service Award in 2005, the Lester C. Uren Technical Excellence Award in 2006, the Anthony F. Lucas Technical Leadership Gold Medal in 2012, the DeGolyer Distinguished Service Medal in 2013, and the Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty in 2014. He was named an Honorary Member of SPE in 2015. He served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2005 and 2006 and was the SPE Technical Director for Reservoir Description and Dynamics from 2015 to 2018. He has prepared approximately 160 technical articles and chaired numerous technical committees and technical meetings.
He holds bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees, all in petroleum engineering, from Texas A&M University.
Election to the NAE is one of the highest honors in engineering, recognizing individuals for exceptional contributions to research, practice, education, and technological innovation. Founded in 1964, the NAE brings together leading engineers from industry, academia, and government to provide independent advice and leadership on complex national challenges.