Iraj Ershaghi, Omar B. Milligan Professor of Petroleum Engineering in the Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, has won unanimous election to the Board of Directors of the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA).

Iraj Ershaghi is recognized for "his many exceptional accomplishments in  petroleum engineering education and research."

"This a highly significant honor and an important opportunity for Iraj and for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering," said Mork Department Chair Theodore Tsotsis. "This award recognizes his many exceptional accomplishments in petroleum engineering education and research, and the value his experience and knowledge will bring to the partnership.  Our department joins me in congratulating him on his election."

The RPSEA Program plan for 2010 focuses on ultra-deepwater and unconventional natural gas and other petroleum resources research and development, and was established pursuant to the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
 
RPSEA's mission is "to provide a stewardship role in ensuring the focused research, development and deployment of safe and environmentally sensitive technology that can effectively deliver hydrocarbons from domestic resources to the citizens of the United States."

Ershaghi is Director of VSoE’s Petroleum Engineering Program, wherein he orchestrated with the VSoE Distance Education Network creation of the first online master’s program in Smart Oilfields Technology. He also serves as Director of the USC–West Coast Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, and Executive Director of the Chevron–USC Center for Smart Oilfield Technologies (CiSoft, 2003).

Ershaghi's service on the RPSEA Board begins in Nov. 2009. The Board is scheduled to meet in March and Sept. 2010.