Whitney J. Trainor-Guitton
EDUCATION
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
September 2006 - June 2010
PhD in Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences
Interdisciplinary Program in the School of Earth Sciences
Thesis Title: On the value of geophysical information for groundwater m anagement
PhD Minor in Energy Resources Engineering
Committee Members: Tapan Mukerji, Jef Caers & Rosemary Knight
I developed transferable methodologies that assess the value of geophysical information for two
aquifer sustainability decisions: 1) determining ideal locations for artificial recharge to mitigate
seawater intrusion and 2) determining aquifer vulnerability to surface contaminants. This work
involved aquifer modeling, groundwater a nd geophysical simulation, and the application of
decision analysis theory.
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
September 2004 - June 2006
Master of Science in Geophysics
Thesis Title: Modeling the Daly City aquifer using geostatistics to include regional and qualitative
information
Advisor: Jef Caers
GPA: 3.8/4.3
I used multiple-point geostatistical techniques to model the heterogeneity of Westside basin
aquifer and used these in groundwater flow simulations to observe the heterogeneity e ffect on
artificial recharge.
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO
August 1997 - December 2001
Bachelor of Science, Major: Geophysical Engineering, Minor: Public Policy for Engi neers
GPA: 3.8/4.0
Universidad del Pais Vasco, Donostia, Spain
Studied Basque Culture and the Spanish Language
August 2000 – December 2000
SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS & HONORS
2013 Best Presentation Award for Exploration 2 Session, Geothermal Resources Council Annual
Meeting
2012 Best Poster Atmosphere, Energy and Earth Division, Post Doc Poster Symposium, LLNL
2008 Featured Speaker, Salt Water Intrusion Meeting, Naples , FL
Schlumberger Research Assistantship – 2007
Stanford Center for Reservoir Forecasting (SCRF) Research Assistantship – 2008-2010
Chevron Graduate Scholarship – 2007-2009
Colorado School of Mines 2001:
Geophysics Outstanding Senior
Outstanding Athlete Award
Voted Best Sense of Humor Senior Class
Colorado School of Mines Trustee Scholarship, 1997-2001
Colorado School of Mines National scholarship, 1997-2001
McBride Honors Program Scholarship Recipient, 1997-2001
Society of Women Engineers of Idaho Outstanding Senior Scholarship, 1998
INVITED TALKS
Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX, May 6, 2015
Environmental Geophysics Seminar, Stanford University, May 9, 2013
Geophysics Seminar, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, October 12, 2012
Heiland Lecture, Geophysics Department, Colorado School of Mines, January 27, 2011
MEMBERSHIPS
Geothermal Research Council since 2012
American Geophysical Union (AGU) since 2004
Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) since 1999
International Association of Mathematical Geosciences (IAMG) from 2006 to 2010
Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society (EEGS) from 1999 to 2001
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Staff Scientist–
August 2014-June 2015
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA
Comparison of pressure and geochemical signals in groundwater due to CO 2 leakage;
probabilistic geothermal exploration analysis
Postdoctoral Researcher –
September 2011-July 2014
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA
Developed Adaptive Metropolis Hastings for Stochastic Engine; Value of Information for CO 2
plume detection in shallow aquifer and geothermal exploration
Risk Analyst –Risk Management Solutions, Newark, CA
August 2010-June 2011
Statistical model development for forecasting mortality and longevity rates and their correlations
between different demographic drivers
ChevronTexaco ETC- San Ramon, CA
Summers of 2008 & 2007
Developed & designed stochastic inversion techniques for controlled-source electromagnetics
(CSEM) and Magnetotellurics (MT) electromagnetic (EM) data in FORTRAN
Geophysical Modeling InternshipSummer 2006
Schlumberger, EMI Technology Center, Richmond CA
Reservoir modeling in Petrel; forward modeling of surface and borehole electromagnetic surveys
to evaluate sensitivity to bypassed-oil and water infiltration for the Mojave Dessert artificial
recharge project
National Science Foundation Research Experience for UndergraduatesBoise State University
Summers of 2000 & 2001
Investigated relation between dielectric constant and porosity of basalt sa mples which was used
to interpret preferential subsurface flowpaths from GPR (ground penetrating radar) data
collected at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory ; Conducted field GPR data acquisition,
processing, and interpretation
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Chiaramonte, L., White, J. and Trainor-Guitton, W., (2014) Probabilistic geomechanical analysis
of compartmentalization at the snøhvit CO 2 sequestration project, Journal of Geophysical
Research – Solid Earth, doi: 10.1002/2014JB011376.
Carroll, S., Keating, E., Mansoor, K., Dai, Z, Sun, Y., Trainor-Guitton, W., Brown, C., Bacon, D.
( 2014 ) Key factors for determining groundwater impacts due to leakage from geologic carbon
sequestration reservoirs, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control , 29, pp 153-168.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Hoversten, G. M., Ramirez, A., Roberts, J., Júlíusson, E., Key, K., Mellors, R.
( 2014 ) The value of spatial information of for determining well placement: a geothermal
example, Geophysics, 79(5), pp 27-W41, 10.1190/GEO2013-0337.1.
Trainor-Guitton, W. (2014) A geophysical perspective of value of information: examples of
spatial decisions for groundwater sustainability, Environment, Systems and Decisions ,
doi:10.1007/s10669-013-9487-9.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Ramirez, A., Yang, X., Mansoor, K., Sun, Y., Carroll, S., (2013) Value of
information methodology for assessing the ability of electrical resistivity to detect CO 2 /brine
leakage into a shallow aquifer, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control , 18, pp 101113.
Sun, Y., Tong, C., Trainor-Guitton, W., Lu, C., Mansoor, K., and Carroll, S., (2013) Global
sampling for integrating physics-specific subsystems and quantifying uncertainties of CO2
geological sequestration, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control , 12, pp 108-123.
Trainor-Guitton, W. J., Mukerji, T., and Knight, R. (2013). A methodology for quantifying the
value of spatial information for dynamic earth problems. Stochastic Environmental Research
and Risk Assessment , 27 (4), 969–983. doi:10.1007/s00477-012-0619-4
Trainor-Guitton, W., and Hoversten, G. M. (2012). Stochastic inversion for electromagnetic
geophysics: practical challenges and improving convergence efficiency. Geophysics , 76(6),
F373. doi:10.1190/geo2010-0223.1
Trainor-Guitton, W. J., Caers, J. K., and Mukerji, T. (2011). A methodology for establishing a
data reliability measure for value of spatial information problems. Mathematical Geosciences ,
43(8), 929–949. doi:10.1007/s11004-011-9367-0
PATENTS
Title: System and Method for Determining A Value Information Metric From A Posterior
Distribution Through Stochastic Inversion
U.S. patent application serial No. 13/600,414 filed on 31 August 2012
International Application No.: PCT/US2013/057365
International Filing Date:
29 August 2013
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Peace Corps Volunteer – Republic of Panama
May 2002- July 2004
Lived in rural village of subsistent farmers; promoted sustainable agricultural techniques, tutored
English and general computer skills. Facilitated groups for entrepreneurial women &
community reforestation projects. Editor of quarterly newsletter for all volunteers in Panam a.
Data Processor – Colog Borehole Geophysics, Golden, CO
October 2001- March 2002
Processed borehole images for fracture orientation to analyze possible preferential flow paths of
groundwater contaminates
Engineering Internship – Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation
Summer of 1999
Inspected shipments into hazardous waste landfill at Rocky Mtn. Arsenal, Commerce City, CO
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Assistant- Geostatistics and Seismic Data Integration
 Prepared materials for lectures and answered all questions related to projects and homework
Teaching Assistant- Statistical Methods for Earth & Environmental Sciences: Geostatistics
 Lectured and led laboratory on geostatistical modeling software: SGeMS (Stanford
Geostatistical Modeling Software)
Geoscience Course Activities Developer: year-long research assistantship where I and two
others designed earth science activities for more hands -on learning approach and active
lectures. Topics ranged from oceanography, stratigraphy and historical geology. These were
then uploaded to the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) website. Two activ ities that I
was principal designer:
 Volcano Simulation: Utilizing historical data from the Pinatubo eruption, I created a “real -time”
volcano simulation. Students must observe the data of an active volcano and determine
if/when/where inhabitants should be evacuated.
 Geostatistics Hiker: Students must choose to use either a deterministic or stochastic realization
of topography for a hypothetical hike. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the
two techniques that address incomplete data. They are also exposed to Python, the numerical
coding language.
Science Super Stars mentor: Lead scientific experiments (“discoveries”) for after school
program for minority students (3 years)
Participant at Workshop on Teaching Introductory Geoscience- AGU Meeting, 2008
Intent of workshop was to share ideas about improving the pedagogy and content of all
introductory geoscience courses. We discussed challenges of introductory courses which span
a wide range of subject areas, including physical and historical geology, environmental
science, oceanography, natural hazards, and courses that follow a regional or topical theme.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Posters
Trainor-Guitton, W., Johnson, S., White, J., Foxall, W. (2013) Sensitivity Analysis of Fault
Simulation Parameters to CO 2 Injection. AGU Fall Meeting. S33D-2446.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Yang, X., Mansoor, K., Ramirez, A., Sun, Y., Carroll, S., (2012) The Value of
Information: Assessing the Ability of Electrical Resistivity to Detect CO2 Leakage in a Shallow
Aquifer. AGU Fall Meeting. GC51A-1169.
Trainor, W., Caers, J., and Mukerji, T. (2009) Value of Information in Geophysical Aquifer
Characterization: Sensitivity to Prior Models & Reliability of Measurements, Eos Trans. AGU,
Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H43C-1031
Trainor, W., Will, R. (2006) Applying Borehole and Surface EM to Measure Water Infiltration in
the Mojave Desert, SEG Hydrogeophysics Workshop, Vancouver, B.C.
Trainor, W., Caers, J., (2006) Aquifer Modeling Using Geostatistics to Include Regional,
Qualitative Heterogeneity Information. EAGE Near -Surface, Helsinki. Poster No. P058.
Presentations
Trainor-Guitton, W., Sun, Y., Mansoor, K. and S. Carroll (2014) Analysis of pressure data as a
CO2/brine leak diagnostic in shallow aquifers, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract
paper H24A-02.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Hoversten, G.M., Ramirez, A., Juliusson, E., Mellors, R., Roberts, J. (2014)
Value of information using calibrated geothermal field data. PROCEEDINGS, Thirty -Ninth
Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California,
February 24-26.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Ramirez, A., Ziagos, J., Mellors, R., Roberts, J., Juliusson, E. (2013) Value
of Spatial Information For Determining Geothermal Well Placement, Geothermal Resources
Council Annual Meeting.
Trainor-Guitton, W., Ramirez, A., Ziagos, J., Mellors, R., and Roberts, J. (2013) An Initial Value
of Information (VOI) Framework for Geophysical Data Applied to the Exploration of Geothermal
Energy. Stanford Geothermal Workshop.
Trainor, W. and Hoversten, G.M., (2009). Practical Challenges of Stochastic Inversion
Implementation for Geophysical Problems, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) 79 th
Annual Meeting, 25-30 October 2009, Houston, TX, Extended Abstract EM2.8 0734-0738.
Trainor, W., Caers, J., & Mukerji, T. (2009), The Value of Time -Domain EM for Identifying
Aquifer Vulnerability, International Association of Mathematical Geosciences (IAMG)
Conference. August 23-37.
Trainor, W., Caers, J., Mukerji, T., Auken, E., & Knight, R. (2008). Assessing the Value of
Information of Geophysical Data for Groundwater Management. Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet.
Suppl., Abstract H43J-02 (abstract ref. no. 634).
Trainor, W., Knight, R.J., & Caers, J.K. (2008). An Assessment of th e Impact of Geologic
Heterogeneity on Predictions of Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers. SWIM (20 th Salt Water
Intrusion Meeting) Program & Proceedings, Naples, FL. June 23 -27.
(www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/SWIM)
Trainor, W.J., Knight, R.J., & Caers , J.K. (2007). Multiple-Point Geostatistics and Near-Surface
Geophysics for Modeling Heterogeneity in a Coastal Aquifer, Eos Trans. AGU, Fall Meet. Suppl.,
Abstract H42B-04.
SKILLS & INTERESTS
Programming in R, Fortran, Matlab, SQL and Python
Reservoir modeling in gOcad, Petrel; reservoir simulations in Eclipse and MODFLOW
Spanish – speak fluently and read/write with high proficiency
French – basic speaking skills
Running, mountain & road biking, yoga, sketching, gardening, mentoring, Latin American stu dies