Energy Institute of the Americas Joins the Irani Center for Energy Solutions: A Letter from Yoana Samper de Walschap


To Our Valued Clients and Partners,

We’re Excited to Announce that the Energy Institute of the Americas (EIA) is Rebranding!

It was 25 years ago when Gustavo Inciarte, a University of Oklahoma petroleum engineering graduate, had the vision to create a center to link universities, research institutes and companies in Latin American in an effort focused on the hydrocarbon industry. That vision became the Energy Institute of the Americas, and for the last 25 years we have been successful at that mission, providing value both for OU and for the many individuals and organizations who have partnered with us.

I have been involved with the Institute since its establishment on May 12th, 1995 under Executive Director and former Ambassador Edwin G. Corr. During the first eight years, we built together a Hemispheric organization and established the EIA’s Secretariat at the Sarkeys Energy Center at OU.

It is impossible to name all of our accomplishments, so here are just a few of the EIA’s successes over the last 25 years:

  • Established the EIA secretariat at Sarkeys Energy Center on the Norman campus of the University of Oklahoma.
  • Hosted two major international Oil and Gas conferences in Oklahoma
  • Brought over five hundred Latin American students to study at OU
  • Established several exchange programs throughout Latin America
  • Organized and taught more than 120 short courses for the industry in Latin America and Europe
  • Facilitated introductions of OU faculty to universities across twelve different countries in Latin America and Europe, resulting in more than $1 million in joint research projects
  • Provided study-abroad opportunities for OU students that amounted to 17 courses, 8 countries and 150 students
  • Organized technical video conferences at multiple universities in Latin America and Europe
  • And just this year, we have shifted because of the pandemic and are offering virtual webinars and short courses with timely subjects like crisis management

It has been my great honor to be a part of all these milestones from the very early years all the way up until my retirement in July of 2020.

In 2018, Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy launched the Ronnie K. Irani Center for Energy Solutions. This center seeks to equip industry leaders through professional development, launch students into their careers through experiential learning opportunities and mentorship, and, most importantly, provide Opportunity for All. The Irani Center and the EIA share the same vision and DNA – the belief that energy and education provide greater opportunities for all people. It was decided that the logical step was to bring the EIA under the Irani Center’s organization and branding. By leveraging both center’s strengths and personnel, we can be more effective at our mission of providing Opportunity for All.

As a result of this change, we will be able to provide even more value to you! The Irani Center for Energy Solutions has three pillars: practical experience, professional development and stakeholder engagement. The functions served by EIA will fold into the the Irani Center’s professional development pillar and will provide us with the opportunities and infrastructure to expand into the other two pillars if ever the opportunity should arise. We will maintain our mission of educating and training professionals in the skills and knowledge needed for energy development and related environmental and social issues. We are also open to promote research projects with Latin American partner universities. It is important to note that the name change does not affect any legal partnerships formed by the EIA.

Soon you will start seeing changes to our identity system, website, social media profiles, and our new visual brand signature. Since I have yet to fully understand what the word “retired” means, I will remain connected as a consultant to help facilitate a transition without interruptions.

We look forward to continuing our long relationship to create Opportunity for All in the energy industry. I wish you all the best and hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,
Yoana Samper de Walschap
Program Development Consultant
Ronnie Irani Center for Energy Solutions
Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *