Following a review of nearly 200 applications, SPE is pleased to announce this year's scholarship and fellowship recipients. Applications were received from around the world for SPE's undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The committee received many outstanding submissions and, after careful consideration, has finalized this year's selections.
Visit the SPE website for more information and recipient biographies.
SPE Foundation Gus Archie Scholarship
Benjamin Petrie, Marietta College
Benjamin Petrie, SPE, is currently in his third year at Marietta College, where he is studying petroleum engineering. He is deeply passionate about the future of the oil and gas industry, a passion that has grown stronger through his experience working in the field during the past two summers with Harvest Midstream in George West, Texas, and Anchorage, Alaska.
Beyond his coursework, he remains actively involved in campus life. He is an active member of the Student Government Association, as well as several professional industry organizations, including SPE, the American Association of Drilling Engineers, and the International Association of Drilling Contractors.
Outside of engineering and his academic pursuits, he enjoys analyzing his next move on the chessboard, playing music, and staying active at the gym.
SPE Foundation Donald G. Russell Scholarship
Atticus Sage, University of Oklahoma
Atticus Sage, SPE, graduated in 2026 from Oklahoma Christian School as class valedictorian, earning an AP Capstone Diploma, recognition as an Oklahoma State Regents Academic Scholar, and designation as a College Board National AP Scholar.
He will attend the Colorado School of Mines this fall as an engineering major and join the Oredigger football team as a running back. While in high school, he participated in varsity football, basketball, and track. He also served on the Principal's Leadership Council and took part in annual global outreach projects to Costa Rica and Jamaica, where he worked on teams building homes for people experiencing homelessness in the community.
Sage has developed his own small business, creating automated lead generation and outbound client acquisition solutions using the open-source n8n platform.
Matthew Le, Texas A&M University
Matthew Le graduated in 2026 from Stratford High School in Houston. He was the founder and president of his school’s Chess Club, a National Merit Finalist, captain of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Math Team, and member of UIL Science Team.
He was also president of the Houston Jayteens nonprofit volunteer organization serving the greater Houston community, an instructor in Vovinam Vietnamese martial arts, and a camp leader at Camp Ozark Texas.
Imomoh Scholarship
Priscilla Osei, Texas A&M University
Priscilla Osei, SPE, is a graduate student at Texas A&M University (TAMU) pursuing a master’s degree in petroleum engineering. She holds a degree from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Ghana, where she graduated with honors. Her interests and research span geology, geomechanics, hydraulic fracturing, and data analysis applications in completions and production optimization.
In 2023, as president of the SPE UMaT Chapter, she led the chapter to recognition as an Outstanding Chapter in the Africa Region.
Osei has earned honors including the Chevron Graduate Fellowship from TAMU’s petroleum engineering department and the SPE Ghana Outstanding Student Member award. She actively contributes through leadership, volunteering, mentorship, and community services.
She is driven by one belief: that engineering solutions and building people are not separate missions.
Emmanuel Olowe, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
Emmanuel Olowe, SPE, is a master’s student in reservoir engineering at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering. His research bridges traditional reservoir engineering practices with machine learning, focusing on CO2–brine relative permeability for carbon capture, utilization, and storage applications. He is also experienced in integrated asset modeling.
He gained industrial experience through a graduate internship with Chevron, specializing in subsurface simulation using Petrel RE and INTERSECT, and previously interned with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.
Queendarlyn Nwabueze, Texas Tech University
Queendarlyn Nwabueze, SPE, is a PhD candidate in petroleum engineering at Texas Tech University. Her research focuses on hydraulic fracture diagnostics using distributed fiber-optic strain sensing, with applications in unconventional oil reservoirs and enhanced geothermal systems.
She holds a BSc in petroleum and gas engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and an MSc in petroleum engineering and project development, jointly awarded by the Institute of Petroleum Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and IFP School, France.
Rockson Aluah, University of North Dakota
Rockson Aluah, SPE, is currently pursuing a PhD in petroleum engineering at the University of North Dakota, where he also serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the department of energy and petroleum engineering. He gained industry experience from his work with Maersk Venturer, where he was involved in offshore drilling operations.
His research focuses on assessing the reliability of underground storage for CO2 and H2 in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, with particular emphasis on caprock and wellbore integrity. His work contributes to the global energy transition by addressing key challenges associated with carbon capture and storage and underground hydrogen storage.
His technical expertise spans drilling operations, production optimization, well testing, artificial lift systems, and reservoir characterization studies. Through his academic research, teaching, and industry experience, he continues to contribute to the advancement of petroleum engineering and emerging energy-storage technologies.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a master’s degree in petroleum production engineering from Robert Gordon University.
AIME Henry DeWitt Smith Fellowship
Zainab Iyiola, University of Oklahoma
Zainab Iyiola, SPE, is a PhD student in petroleum engineering at the University of Oklahoma (OU). She holds dual master’s degrees in petroleum engineering and data science and analytics from OU and received the 2026 Outstanding Master’s Student Award from the OU Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.
She graduated with first class honors in petroleum engineering from the University of Mines and Technology, Ghana, where she finished at the top of her class.
Her research interests span enhanced oil recovery, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen energy systems, production optimization, artificial intelligence, and intelligent decision-support systems. She has authored and coauthored more than 15 technical publications and completed more than 50 peer reviews for scientific journals, including Geoenergy Science and Engineering and Gas Science and Engineering.