Dr. Hammes obtained her Diploma at the University of Erlangen, Germany, and her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her graduate studies specialized in carbonate depositional environments, sequence stratigraphy, carbonate diagenesis, and rock-water interactions. Her background is diverse ranging from exploration, exploitation and business development for various oil/gas companies, conducting research as Research Scientist and Principal Investigator for the State of Texas Advanced Resource Recovery project and leading research and advising students at the University of Potsdam, Germany, Texas A&M University, and Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Ursula is past president of the Energy and Minerals Division (EMD) of AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists), served as president of the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM (GCSSEPM), serves as senior associate editor for the AAPG Bulletin, and has been chair and moderator of many conventions and sessions. She is a world-known expert in assessing shale oil/gas systems from basin to nanoscale and sequence stratigraphy and reservoir characterization of carbonates and siliciclastics. She teaches core workshops and short courses in shale reservoir analyses and carbonate sequence stratigraphy, reservoir characterization, and sedimentology.

Expertise: Expert in mudrock/shale analyses from basin to nanoscale Sequence stratigraphy of carbonates and siliciclastics Teach core workshops and short courses in mudrock analyses and carbonate sequence stratigraphy and sedimentology