Oceanography Alumna Rocks a Seismic Career

A Day in the Life
As a seismic engineer at Schlumberger PetroTechnical, Florida Tech alumna and physical oceanography major, Tazia Abdool, spends much of her time creating high definition images of the subsurface of the Earth. “Seismic data is acquired by sending pulses of energy into the Earth’s subsurface and recording its reflection,” she says. “My team processes the data and generates images to help oil and gas companies learn more about the fluids, content and pressure properties that may exist in the layers of the earth” says Tazia.

Tazia graduated with her oceanography degree in 2013, for the past year-and-a-half, she has learned Schlumberger Software and methods thanks to the company’s world-renowned commitment to professional development and training. Tazia’s typical day involves testing various processing parameters to see how she can improve an image, and then presenting her findings. “Almost every class I took at Florida Tech demanded strong presentation skills and that has benefited me immensely when presenting my bi-weekly findings to my superiors and Schlumberger clients,” says Tazia.

Honest Advice
Tazia says she wasn’t exactly hired because of her major, but because of her academic performance in courses like, Differential and Partial Differential Equations, Hydromechanics & Wave Theory, Fluid Mechanics, Geological Oceanography, and Environmental Geology. “I was hired at Schlumberger because of my course-specific performance. So whatever you choose to major in, do it well,” says Tazia.

Fond Memories
Before Tazia landed her job at Schlumberger, knowns as the energy industry’s leading technology supplier, she honed her leadership skills as Resident Advisor for Florida Tech’s Harris Village. “One of my favorite memories during my time as an RA was hosting a waterslide party. We brought in a huge inflatable water slide and set it up on the lawn. The residents loved it and so did I,” she says.

Fun Fact
Tazia was the founder of Florida Tech’s Shik Shak Belly Dancing Club. The club’s inception was inspired by a belly dancing fitness class offered at the Clemente Center. Tazia and her fellow students, Shavi Tolan and Emma Keogh wanted to continue dancing and share their newfound passion with other students. “As the leadership of the club changed hands over the years, the focus shifted away from the classical and more towards modern fusion pieces, which is a fun twist,” says Tazia.

Last Words
“If I could do it all over again, I’d still choose Florida Tech. I couldn’t have asked for a better place or better people to help me grow into the successful scientist I am today,” says Tazia. “My experience at FIT was so stellar on every front that it even inspired my sister to enroll in Florida Tech’s math program!”