UAlberta alumnus wins international award for applied geophysics research

(Edmonton) University of Alberta graduate Sam Kaplan (PhD, 2010) has won the 2013 J. Clarence Karcher Award for young scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the science and technology of exploration geophysics.

Kaplan is the most recent UAlberta graduate to receive this important award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. The Karcher award was presented in 1998 to John E. Eastwood (PhD, 1991 with Tim Spanos), Henning Kuehl (PhD, 2002 with Mauricio Sacchi) and Mostafa Naghizadeh (PhD, 2009 with Sacchi). In addition, two UAlberta undergraduates went into research careers that also led to this award: Ken Matson (BSc Geophysics, 1989) and Rob Vestrum (BSc Geophysics, 1992). 

Mauricio Sacchi, a professor of geophysics and the Chair of the Department of Physics, praised Kaplan for his dynamic research. “Sam’s contribution to the field of seismic imaging is impressive. He has developed algorithms; published articles and conference proceedings covering classical problems in signal processing; and successfully navigated modern problems in seismic data processing.” 

After earning a BSc in Geophysics and Mathematics at the University of British Columbia, Kaplan went on to an MSc in exploration seismology at UBC. 

“I was influenced by my teachers,” he said. “Tad Ulrych at the University of British Columbia instructed a third year course in signal processing. His enthusiasm for the material was wonderful, and I ended up working in his geophysics lab (CDSST) the following summer. It was all a very good experience, which lead me down the path that I am currently on.” 

In 2006, Kaplan came to the University of Alberta to join the Signal Analysis and Imaging Group (SAIG). SAIG undertakes methodical studies of mathematical methods for seismic data and seismic waveform problems. Led by professor Sacchi, SAIG is comprised of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates, and funded by industry partners. 

“It was wonderful to be surrounded by interesting people working on interesting problems, who were willing and eager to talk about their research, and patiently listened to my ideas, which were wrong most of the time,” said Kaplan, who is modest in addition to being accomplished. “The partnership between SAIG and industry gives Dr. Sacchi's students an excellent opportunity for networking.” 

Kaplan is now based in the United States, working for Chevron on problems in seismic signal processing. He said seismic signal processing plays a key role in the exploration side of the oil industry. 

“Data collected in the field from a seismic experiment must be processed into images through an understanding of physics and signal processing,” Kaplan explained. “It is only after this process is completed that the resulting images can be interpreted by geologists.” 

Although he now applies his skills to practical problems, Kaplan would like to revisit a fundamental physics problem that emerged while he was at UAlberta. 

“During my studies, Mauricio Sacchi, Mostafa Naghizadeh and I looked at the problem of seismic data reconstruction using the physics of wave propagation,” Kaplan said. “While we were somewhat successful, we made approximations to the physics in order to find an efficient algorithm. It would be nice to revisit this problem with a more accurate model of the physics.” 

Kaplan expects to attend this September’s Karcher award ceremony at the SEG annual meeting in Houston, Texas. Coincidentally, Kaplan and his office are scheduled to move from California to Houston this autumn.