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GEODE Internship Program

GEODE Internship Program Training the Next Generation of Geothermal Experts

14 college students have worked for energy companies from Colorado to Texas through the initiative

When Cecilia Wu started her internship at Bedrock Energy in January, she didn’t know much about the geothermal energy projects the company was working on.

Wu, a senior at Stanford University, had done several finance-related internships throughout college, but she grew more interested in coding so she switched her major to computer science. That led her to Bedrock.

She was hired as a software engineering intern and assigned to a development project that aims to translate the highly technical data produced by Bedrock engineers into reports that can be more easily analyzed and understood by a broader audience. Using Python, HTML, cloud computing resources, and edited software packages, Wu is now creating a program that can automate the process of streamlining Bedrock’s data.

Wu was surprised she was given such advanced tasks since most companies give interns little more than entry-level tasks. And now that she’s immersed herself in subsurface data and the inner workings of geothermal operations, Wu said her post-graduate career may be headed in that direction.

“I’m interested in diving deeper because I feel there’s a lot in this field I can learn from,” she said. “I feel like I’m only brushing the surface.”

Wu is one of 14 interns who have been hired through the Internship Program of GEODE, a consortium led by Project InnerSpace and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO). The consortium is a catalyst for geothermal innovation that is leveraging best practices and knowledge from the oil and gas (O&G) sector to help expand the use of geothermal energy.

Part of GEODE’s mission is to expand public awareness of geothermal energy and to help train the next generation of geothermal subject matter experts. That’s where the internship program comes in, helping students gain exposure to the growing geothermal sector and develop the skills necessary to work in that field. GEODE worked with CareerSpring, an online student networking and job placement platform, that helped recruit more than 150 applicants, including Wu.

Silviu Livescu, the co-founder of Bedrock Energy and one of key contributors to GEODE, said his team could have hired an intern with more experience in O&G or geothermal development than Wu. But Livescu said his company was built on the idea of hiring people with different educational backgrounds and skillsets so that, collectively, they can develop innovative ideas to long-standing problems.

“She’s enabling us to be faster and better,” Livescu said. “All of us are unique in our own way – different experiences, different expertise. I cherish that diversity of thought.”

Like Wu, other interns placed through the GEODE Internship Program have been working on advanced projects that are critical to the companies.

Jane Onu, a master’s student in petroleum engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, has focused her college research on applying machine learning to investigate perforation erosion and discharge coefficients in hydraulic fracturing. Onu is now interning at Denver-based Gradient Geothermal, analyzing wellbore and production data from O&G wells to identify suitable locations for geothermal co-production.

**Jane Onu**, a master’s student in petroleum engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, interned at Denver-based Gradient Geothermal.
Jane Onu, a master’s student in petroleum engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, interned at Denver-based Gradient Geothermal.

Sam Klarin worked as a field engineer and drilling data analyst in the O&G sector before deciding to switch to geothermal in 2021. He returned to the University of Texas at Austin and earned a master’s degree in energy and earth resources, and in December he was hired as an intern by Sage Geosystems. There, he’s been enhancing geospatial workflows and improving subsurface characterization techniques to support Sage’s energy storage and geothermal power initiatives.

Lalitha Paturi, a master’s student in petroleum engineering at the University of Houston, is focusing her thesis on viscosity measurements of lubricants and low-volatility fluid systems at different temperatures. In December, she was hired as a geoscience intern by Houston-based Sage Geosystems, where she’s been developing formation tops, building earth models, and interpreting petrophysical data to support the company’s geothermal applications.

“I am gaining valuable insights into geology, petrophysics, and subsurface modeling while learning about geothermal energy and contributing to the advancement of geothermal well drilling and development,” she said. “This internship is a rewarding experience, allowing me to expand my expertise and explore interdisciplinary skills critical to energy solutions.”

**Lalitha Paturi** (left), a master's student in petroleum engineering at the University of Houston, and **Sam Klarin**, who earned his master's degree in energy and earth resources from the University of Texas at Austin, interned at Houston-based Sage Geosystems.
Lalitha Paturi (left), a master's student in petroleum engineering at the University of Houston, and Sam Klarin, who earned his master's degree in energy and earth resources from the University of Texas at Austin, interned at Houston-based Sage Geosystems.

Wu, Onu, Klarin, and Paturi were part of the first wave of GEODE interns who were hired in December and worked for their companies throughout the spring. The interns have gained valuable insight and experience, and their employers have raved about the work they’re doing.

Following the success of the spring program, a second wave of seven GEODE interns was hired for summer internships. Several will be working for companies that are new to the GEODE Internship Program, including Houston-based XGS Energy and Oklahoma-based GreenFire Energy Inc.

Tiersa Carlos, a program manager with Project InnerSpace and GEODE, said the growing roster of GEODE interns and participating companies is already proving why the program was created.

“It’s all about finding and growing talent, especially those with an entrepreneurial spirit, while giving a boost to geothermal startups and their important projects,” she said. “The goal is to spark a passion for geothermal tech and entrepreneurship and help build real connections and future opportunities in the industry.”