For years, The Way Ahead (TWA) has united young professionals from every corner of the energy industry—a global stage where fresh voices and bold ideas spark conversations on everything from cutting-edge technology to leadership, career growth, and the future of energy.
Today, this platform matters more than ever. As we navigate the energy transition—with rising global demand, increasingly complex E&P operations, the rapid adoption of AI/ML and digitalization, and the uncertainties of a shifting geopolitical landscape—today’s young professionals will not just face these challenges, but lead them.
The TWA Energy Influencer Awards celebrate extraordinary young professionals who are pushing boundaries, advancing technology, lifting their peers, leading with teamwork, and bringing compassion to their professional journeys.
Join me in congratulating these outstanding 11 energy influencers; we look forward to their promising journeys ahead.
Please join me in congratulating the 2025 TWA Energy Influencers!
-Mrigya Fogat, deputy editor in chief, The Way Ahead
Amanda Calleberg
Commercial Advisor, Inter Pipeline Ltd.
Amanda Calleberg is a commercial advisor at Inter Pipeline, where she organizes career development events and site tours for more than 70 summer students and interns. She is chairperson of the SPE Calgary Young Professionals, where she leads more than 30 volunteers to organize approximately 20 technical and professional development events annually. She was previously the program chairperson for the SPE International Asset Management Technical Section, formerly named the SPE Management Technical Section, where she organized and moderated 12 technical webinars with global SMEs for over 900 attendees. She is chairperson of the governance committee on the board of the CanLearn Society for Persons with Learning Difficulties and serves on her civic government’s Calgary Salutes committee.
She has worked in technical and commercial roles in upstream and midstream oil and gas over the past 10 years and has authored professional development articles and technical papers and has presented at industry events and conferences.
She holds an MBA specializing in finance from Queen’s University, where she received the Dean’s Gold Medal for the highest GPA in her class. She holds a chemical engineering degree with a minor in petroleum engineering from the University of Calgary and a sustainability in energy credential from Evaluate Energy.
Amin Alinejad
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta
Amin Alinejad is a postdoctoral fellow in petroleum engineering at the University of Alberta. He applies a mechanistic approach to study hydrocarbon recovery, focusing on the fundamental processes that govern fluid flow in porous media. His research integrates advanced experiments and modeling to better understand and improve enhanced oil recovery techniques for shale and tight reservoirs. He is also engaged in sustainable energy research, including carbon capture, utilization, and storage in shale formations and underground hydrogen storage. He has authored more than 15 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers and has presented at several international conferences and workshops in the energy field.
Alinejad serves as a technical reviewer for leading journals including SPE Journal, Fuel, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, and Geoenergy Science and Engineering. He has received several competitive scholarships, such as the Chevron Graduate Scholarship in Natural Gas Engineering and the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship. He is the recipient of the SPE Journal Outstanding Technical Reviewer Award in 2024 and the Best Student Oral Presentation Award at GeoConvention 2024.
He holds a PhD in petroleum engineering from the University of Alberta, an MSc from Sharif University of Technology, and a BSc from the Petroleum University of Technology.
Arvind Kumar
Principal Reservoir Subject Matter Expert, SLB
Arvind Kumar is a principal reservoir subject matter expert at SLB, based in Abu Dhabi, where he leads the development of digital reservoir engineering workflows within the reservoir performance division. Over the past 12 years, Kumar has held diverse roles across reservoir engineering, production engineering, and geosciences, with a strong focus on formation testing, well testing, reservoir modeling, and pressure transient analysis. An advocate for innovation, he works to advance the integration of data science and reservoir engineering. He develops automated pressure test identification workflows that reduce manual effort and enhance digital answer products through automation and machine learning.
Kumar has authored more than 30 technical papers in leading conferences and journals. He served on the JPT Editorial Review Board in 2025 and continues to contribute as a peer reviewer for SPE Journal. An SPE member since 2014, he has served as student chapter award judge, section award judge, event volunteer, Virtual Career Pathways Fair advisor, South Asian student paper contest judge, and ambassador lecturer.
Kumar holds a BTech in petroleum engineering and a PhD in reservoir engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, India.
Erika Johana Tovar Trujillo
Country Manager PPS Norway, Halliburton
Erika Johana Tovar is the country manager for Halliburton’s Pipeline and Process Services (PPS) in Norway, with over 13 years of international experience across Colombia, Mexico, US, Romania, Italy, and Norway and in different roles such as fracturing and coiled tubing services.
An SPE member since 2012, she currently serves as communications and outreach chairperson for the SPE Stavanger Section and has previously served across European sections such as the SPE Romanian Section. She has authored five SPE papers, with two in progress, a newsletter article, and has held volunteer roles including YP chairperson, Energy4me Ambassador, and Virtual Career Pathways Fair advisor. She has been a moderator and panelist in several SPE events and participated across several SPE conferences worldwide.
Her passion for service began early—at 15, she became the first female vice president of the Youth Council in her hometown of Garzón, Colombia. Since then, she has led numerous community initiatives, including planting tree campaigns, environmental campaigns, youth mentoring, and charity drives.
Tovar believes the future of the energy industry depends on inspiring and empowering the next generation.
She is the recipient of awards including the Halliburton Women Sharing Excellence Leading Light Award (2023), SPE Tech Days Award (2022), and the SPE Europe Regional Service Award (2021).
She holds a BTech in petroleum engineering from Universidad de América, an MBA from Cerem Global Business School, and is pursuing an executive master of management in energy from BI Norwegian Business School.
Jyotsna Deepak Asarpota
Senior Consultant, Halliburton
Jyotsna Asarpota is a senior consultant at Halliburton, leading reservoir management, production optimization, and digital transformation initiatives across the MENA region. She has delivered landmark projects, including UAE’s first large-scale autonomous well control system and the first countrywide integrated capacity model to optimize planning and debottlenecking. Her areas of expertise include automation, advanced analytics, and AI-driven workflows.
Recognized with Halliburton’s Top Performer Award (2024) and Top Services Consultant Award (2019), she was among 30 women globally selected for the Catalyst Leadership Program. She completed the Halliburton Business Leadership Development Program with Texas A&M University.
An SPE member for over a decade, she has authored nine papers published in OnePetro, served on the JPT Editorial Review Board, chaired sessions, judged student contests, and supports the SPE ADIPEC-University Program while serving on the advisory board of Khalifa University’s Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department.
She holds an MSc in oil and gas engineering from Robert Gordon University, UK, and a BE (Honors) in chemical engineering from BITS Pilani, Dubai. Outside of work, she is a certified scuba diver and a volunteer rescue and extrication technician at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi.
Miral Tawfik
Lead Reservoir Engineer, Chevron
Miral Tawfik is a lead reservoir engineer at Chevron, where she works on first principles modeling of recovery mechanisms and resource maturation for different Chevron assets. She has chaired the SPE Gulf Coast Section Data Analytics Study Group and served as deputy chair of the SPE Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committee, among other roles.
She is the recipient of the 2025 SPE Giovanni Paccaloni Young Professional Service Award and the 2025 Gulf Coast North America Regional Young Professional Member Outstanding Service Award. She was also recognized as a 2024 Houston Role Model by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
Tawfik has contributed to professional and educational outreach, diversity and inclusion, and mentorship through several international and regional SPE volunteer positions. She served on the Industry Committee of InterPore, fostering collaboration between academia and industry for advancing porous media research. She also volunteered as a scholarship judge for the Society of Women Engineers, supporting the next generation of women in STEM.
She holds a PhD from Penn State University in energy and mineral engineering and a BSc from The American University in Cairo in petroleum and energy engineering.
Mohamed Elshawaf
Senior Drilling Engineer at Khalda Petroleum Company (Apache JV)
Mohamed Elshawaf is a senior drilling engineer at Khalda Petroleum Company (Apache JV), specializing in drilling and workover performance enhancement, with interests in digital transformation and geothermal drilling. His career includes spearheading the company’s first standard operating procedures for drilling and workover operations and designing well plans which increased company production by 5%.
He has authored more than nine technical publications spanning acid stimulation, machine learning applications, and heavy oil EOR, and was awarded first place in the 2018 SPE MENA Regional Paper Contest (BSc division).
Over the past decade, he has contributed to more than 60 regional and international events—serving as ATCE session chair, paper contest judge, and PetroBowl organizer. He is the recipient of the 2022 SPE Middle East North Africa Young Professional Member Outstanding Service Award and the 2022 SPE Middle East North Africa Regional Service Award.
He founded the Petroleum Arab Conference and Exhibition to empower the next generation, and in 2023 launched the Industry Simulation Program, which brought together 700 students from 26 nationalities for technical and leadership development. He also led Egypt’s first PetroBowl regional qualifier and has worked with more than 150 students worldwide through the SPE Ambassador Lecturer Program. In 2021, he participated in the Emerging Leaders Alliance.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in drilling and completion engineering from Suez University and is currently pursuing his master’s degree at Suez University.
Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelrahman
Senior Reservoir Engineer, ADNOC Onshore
Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelrahman is a senior reservoir engineer at ADNOC Onshore. With expertise in reservoir management, characterization, simulation, field development planning, and carbon capture, his work includes optimizing mature fields, boosting production, and increasing reserves. He has coauthored more than 15 technical papers in journals and conferences and taught master’s-level petroleum engineering at Alexandria University.
An SPE member for 16 years, he has contributed as a committee member for events including GOTECH, IPTC, MEOS/GEO, MOC, ATCE, and ADIPEC, while supporting global student initiatives such as PetroBowl, student paper contests, eMentoring, Ambassador Lecturer Program, diversity and inclusion, and Energy4me.
He is the recipient of the 2023 Middle East North Africa Regional Service Award, the 2017 International Outstanding Young Member Award, and the 2015 Middle East North Africa Outstanding Young Member Award. In 2025, he represented SPE at the Emerging Leaders Alliance Conference.
He holds a BSc in petroleum engineering from Suez Canal University, an MBA, and a professional diploma in international business management.
Mohamed Shafik Khaled
Assistant Professor, Colorado School of Mines
Mohamed Shafik Khaled is an assistant professor in the petroleum engineering department at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), where he leads the VERTEX Research Lab, developing innovations in next-generation drilling technologies, geothermal energy, and subsurface engineering.
Khaled’s career spans both academia and industry. He previously served as a postdoctoral fellow and later as a research assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin and spent over 5 years with Halliburton Sperry Drilling as a directional drilling field engineer and drilling solutions engineer. His research portfolio includes more than 30 technical papers and leadership of multiple federal and industry-funded projects, with over $1 million secured in research support. He has established advances in innovative rig design, hole-cleaning optimization, drilling automation, proactive heat management, and geothermal development.
Khaled is a recipient of the CSM Enger Teaching Award, multiple SPE paper contest honors, and UT Austin’s Career Development Publication Award. He is an SPE volunteer, serving on international committees, reviewing for leading technical journals, and mentoring students and young professionals. His work reflects a strong commitment to sustainable energy and to training the next generation of petroleum engineers.
He holds a PhD in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University, an MSc from Cairo University, and a BSc from Suez University.
Natan Battisti
Vice President Finance Argentina BU, Harbour Energy
Natan Battisti is a petroleum engineer with a foundation in finance, driven by a passion for energy economics and the transformative impact of hydrocarbons. He joined Harbour Energy as an intern in Brazil and spent nearly 6 years at the company’s London HQ before relocating to Buenos Aires in 2025 where he now serves as VP of finance for Argentina at Harbour Energy.
Beyond his corporate role, he is committed to developing students and young professionals. As a STEM Ambassador and former chair of the SPE London Section, he led initiatives promoting STEM and energy education in schools. An SPE member since 2013, he has held leadership roles across Brazil and the UK and currently serves as administration chair for the SPE International Management Technical Section and on the Energy Education Advisory Committee.
Battisti also contributes to the Switch Energy Alliance Advisory Committee and Pragma’s Talent Committee. He is the founder of Até o Último Barril (“Until the Last Barrel”), a platform empowering young talent in Brazil’s energy sector.
Zuhao Kou
Assistant Professor, Southwest Petroleum University
Zuhao Kou is an assistant professor at Southwest Petroleum University, China. Prior to this appointment, he was a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University. His research focuses on advancing the fundamental understanding of fluid transport and carbon storage in geological formations, with particular emphasis on the effects of multiscale heterogeneity on multiphase flow properties and the application of multimodal reservoir characterization for carbon storage and mineralization.
He serves as an associate editor for several prestigious journals, including SPE Journal, Journal of Hydrology, and Geoenergy Science and Engineering, among others. Additionally, he is a guest editor for Gas Science and Engineering.
He has led multiple research grants as principal investigator and served as a key participant in several US Department of Energy (DOE)-funded CCUS projects. His work on multiscale heterogeneity and CO2 migration pathways has led to keynote invitations from organizations such as the Energy Resources Council of Wyoming.
He has written nearly 30 peer-reviewed publications, chaired sessions at conferences including the AGU Annual Meeting and InterPore, and has received several awards, among them the 2024 SPE Eastern North America Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award.
He holds a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Wyoming and MSc and BSc degrees in petroleum engineering from Southwest Petroleum University.