Pocatello Times

Geosciences students and faculty at Idaho State University can get their hands on some of the industry’s state-of-the-art software thanks to a donation by Petroleum Experts (Petex).

Recently, Petex donated 10 licenses for their MOVE suite to ISU’s Department of Geosciences for use by students and faculty for their research as well as in the department’s upper-division classes. Using the software, geologists can take their observations of rocks on the earth’s surface and create realistic 2D or 3D models of what things look like below ground.

“The MOVE suite allows us to hit rewind and see what has happened in terms of geologic forces to create the rocks and features we see today,” said Dave Pearson, associate professor of geosciences. “For example, my students and I have used the software to model the past movement along faults in central Idaho and southwestern Montana, including the Lost River Fault, which was responsible for Idaho’s largest earthquake, 1983’s Borah Peak quake.”

Petex has donated MOVE suite licenses to the geosciences department annually since 2018. The new licenses will give ISU students and faculty access to the software through December 2023. The total value of the software is over  $2.7 million. In an industry setting, the MOVE suite is used by geologists and engineers in the oil and gas, mining, and geothermal industries.

“I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to develop practical skills with the MOVE suite during my time at ISU,” said Matt Ruggiero, a master’s student from Mahopac, New York. “It is an excellent asset we have here at Idaho State and will make ISU geology students stand out to potential employers down the road."

“Since this is the exact type of software used in industry, ISU’s geosciences students are prepared to hit the ground running in their careers,” Pearson said. “Thank you to Petex for their continued support of our students and the research happening at Idaho State.”

For more information on ISU’s Department of Geosciences, visit isu.edu/geosciences.

 Prospective students can schedule a campus tour at isu.edu/visit.

Original source can be found here.