[Editor's Note: Hitisha Dadlani is the editor in chief of the TWA Editorial Board and a contributing author of previous TWA articles.]
The Q&A series features former TWA editors in chief (EIC), highlighting their contributions and journeys as a learning opportunity for the current and future generation of TWA volunteers and our global audience.
This interview is with Aman Srivastava, who served as EIC from October 2023–October 2024. He is a product owner at Halliburton Landmark with more than 17 years of experience in the energy industry, specializing in well construction, drilling engineering, digital technologies, and AI. He is an inventor, published author, and recipient of two SPE regional awards. He is deeply involved with SPE, serving as chair of the webinars and virtual meetings program for the SPE Research and Development Technical Section, an editorial review board member of the Journal of Petroleum Technology, and a frequent speaker on digital transformation, AI, and the future of energy engineering. He holds a master's degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Surat.
Hitisha Dadlani (HD): What are some of the key lessons you have learned through your time with TWA that have stayed with you?
Aman Srivastava (AS): I can think of four things that have stayed with me.
The first lesson is that you should always find ways to make yourself better. Your biggest competition should not be your classmate, colleague, or peer. It should be yourself. As long as you are trying to be better than your previous self, you are on the right path. It doesn’t always have to be big. If you can do 10 push-ups, try 11. If you read four books last year, try five this year. If you completed two online courses or certifications last year, try three this year. The important thing is to keep challenging yourself, personally and professionally.
The second lesson is that help and knowledge are usually available if you are willing to ask for them. Even if you are constantly trying to learn and improve, you cannot do everything yourself or know everything. Throughout your career and life, you will meet a lot of people and build a network. Today, information is literally at our fingertips. Don’t try to be the person who knows everything. Be the person who knows how to find the right information from a reliable source and knows whom to ask.
The third lesson is time management. Time is probably the most important resource we have, and once it is gone, we cannot get it back. Like many people, I have sometimes struggled with procrastination and feeling like there isn’t enough time. It is the sheer volume of tasks that can sometimes make them feel overwhelming and prevent us from getting started. Using the right tools, breaking things into smaller tasks, and thinking about the time required vs. the effort involved has helped me become more efficient. With smartphones, automation, and AI available today, I think learning how to use these tools effectively and responsibly is becoming an increasingly important skill.
The last one is probably the simplest: be polite and be kind. It is a surprisingly powerful thing. With the pace at which we live and work, we often forget that sometimes all it takes is a smile, a “please,” or a “thank you” to make someone’s day or help move something forward. Being kind doesn’t cost anything, but it can go a long way.
HD: Your term focused on digitalization and sustainability. Do these themes still resonate with your work today? From your perspective, where do you see opportunities for TWA to contribute going forward?
AS: Digitalization, in particular, is very much a part of my everyday work. I work as a product manager for drilling engineering software, where I am involved in using digital technologies to help engineers make more informed decisions in well design. Digitalization has significantly changed the way we work, and across the industry, AI and digital twins are becoming areas of significant interest.
At the same time, there is significant interest in AI, and there is still an opportunity to build greater understanding of how these technologies can be applied in practice. I think TWA has an important role to play here, particularly for young professionals and students. TWA can help them better understand the opportunities and practical applications of these technologies and develop the knowledge they need as they enter an industry that is changing very quickly. There are also opportunities to collaborate with technical sections and regional sections to organize activities such as hackathons, paper and poster presentations, and robotics and coding competitions.
HD: How have you continued to create an impact within SPE and the wider volunteering community after your term with TWA?
AS: I have been fortunate to stay involved with SPE even after my term with TWA. I currently serve on the JPT Editorial Review Board for the topic of wellbore tubular. I am also the chair for webinars and virtual meetings for the SPE Research & Development Technical Section, where I help organize biweekly webinars covering different areas of research, technology, and innovation. I am also involved with the SPE Dallas Section as the community relations manager. Through this role, I try to connect with local universities and schools to create greater awareness of the energy industry and the role that SPE and the SPE Dallas Section can play in supporting students and young professionals. In addition, I serve on the ATCE Technical Committee for well construction.
For me, volunteering with SPE has been a continuous journey. The role may change, but the opportunity to learn, meet people, and contribute has continued.
HD: What advice would you give to the next generation of TWA volunteers, especially to those taking on leadership roles within TWA?
AS: First, I would like to congratulate them. It takes courage to take on these roles outside of your normal work hours and personal responsibilities. These roles require a meaningful commitment of time and energy.
But that is also the beauty of volunteering. You get to learn things through these roles that you probably cannot learn anywhere else. You learn how to work with different personalities, how to communicate, how to manage disagreements, how to organize things, and, most importantly, how to build alignment and accomplish shared goals without relying on formal authority.
One thing I have learned is that communication is probably the most important part of managing a volunteer organization. People are giving their time because they want to contribute. Open, respectful communication can solve many challenges. It doesn’t cost anything to be polite, and it goes a long way.
At the same time, don’t let volunteering take over everything else in your life. Set some boundaries. Decide how much time you can realistically give and manage your commitments around that. It is very easy to get carried away because there is always something more that can be done.
And finally, enjoy it. The people you meet and the experiences you gain through volunteering often stay with you much longer than you expect.
