User:Geo20927/Vicki Cowart

Vicki Cowart
Vicki Cowart is a retired Geophysicist and activist from Colorado. She worked as a state geologist and was one of the founders of the Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) as well as won awards for her tenure in the geology field. In 2003 she became the CEO of Planned parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM), She served under this title until late 2021 when she announced her retirement. Vicki continues to be an outspoken activist for women's reproductive rights over her social media, mainly Twitter.

Education And Geologic Career
Vicki Cowart got her start in geology by achieving her Bachelors of Science in Physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, from 1971-1975. She then went and achieved her Masters in geoscience at the Colorado School of Mines (1975-1977).

With her masters, Vicki would begin the first six years of her career working for various corporations such as, Schlumberger, ARCO, and Mobil. These humble beginnings would lead Vicki to receive the position as state geologist of Colorado in 1993 and the acting director of the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS). From here Vicki was able to reinvent the company and enhance programs that increased the companies funding. Vicki was able to put more funding into the geological hazards program, which promoted country-wide change that extended from the state of Colorado. She also introduced the CGS's first mapping program which increased funding for the company. She was able to build a strong company through her continued efforts that made policymakers listen, thus helping educate the citizens of Colorado.

For her impressive work within geoscience, the Association of American State Geologists (AASG)awarded her the positions of Treasurer, President, and Honorary member of ASSG. She was also appointed to the Colorado Governor for the Colorado School of Mines.

Vicki received the Ian Campbell: American Geological Institute Medal of Honour for her contributions to the field of geoscience in 2010 although she left the field in 2003.

Scientific Contributions
In late 1993, Cowart published a paper that detailed the pros of the applications of technologies used for underground gas storage. The paper specifically details the applications of horizontal drilling and how more oil can be excavated from a single oil well, resulting in less oil wells having be to be drilled. It would also allow for safer processes of drilling if oil wells utilized the underground gas storage. It also advocates that with the use of the these technologies, oil wells could possibly be expanded into urban communities. (Secure site)

Advocacy For Women
Vicki Cowart is a very active advocate for women's place in the geology field as well as women's reproductive rights. She helped found the Association For Women Geoscientists (AWG) in 1977. In 2003 she became CEO of the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM). PPRM is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing safe sex-education and contraception. They also work on family planning and reproductive problems that face people of all ages and genders. Along with her time spent at PPRM, she worked with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). She accomplished many initiatives with the PPFA, including supporting low-income patients and the continuation sex education. She also took part in councils that provided funding with the goal of stopping movements against women's reproductive rights, this council was called the PPFA Ballot Initiatives Council.