Neil Fishman was appointed as the Chair to the EMD Gas Shale Committee in 2010. In addition, Fishman was a co-editor of AAPG Studies in Geology #22, a volume on uranium in the Grants Uranium Region of New Mexico, and he edited a U.S.G.S. Professional Paper on energy resources in the Front Range of Colorado. He has chaired numerous sessions at professional meetings (AAPG, GSA, SEPM) and served as a technical reviewer for papers submitted to scientific journals. Fishman has served AAPG/EMD as Chair for EMD field trips (AAPG-EMD meeting, 1994), a leader of an EMD-sponsored field trip (AAPG-EMD meeting (2001), EMD Treasurer (2007-2009), and as Vice Chair and Chair of the EMD Shale Gas & Liquids Committee (2008-present).
He has been a geologist with the U. S. Geological Survey for over 30 years. During that time, he has worked as principal investigator or scientific lead on various research projects focused on energy resources including uranium, natural gas, oil, and coal. He has published (as senior author or co-author) more than 50 scientific papers and maps, and presented numerous talks at national and international meetings for much of his career.
His published papers have focused on:
- Processes responsible for uranium mineralization in sedimentary rocks,
- The timing and duration of biogenic gas generation in marine rocks,
- The origin of shale gas systems,
- The quality of coal,
- Tracking of basin-wide fluid migration, and
- The utility of rock magnetics in remote detection of hydrocarbons.
- recent U.S.G.S. publications by Neil Fishman
He was elected as a Fellow of GSA in 2010. He is also a member of CSPG, SEPM, GSA, RMAG, and the Clay Minerals Society. In addition, he has served other professional societies as:
- Secretary of the Rocky Mountain Section of GSA (2008-present),
- Chair of the Tellers Committee (Clay Minerals Society, 2003-present).
- Chair of the Advisory Board of the Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder (2006-2009).
Fishman has served as an outside member on two tenure review panels as well as a reviewer for scientific proposals (NSF, PRF, ACS, and DOE).
He received a Bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Colorado in 1979, and a Master’s degree in geology in 1981, also from the University of Colorado. He has received numerous awards including:
- the EMD President’s Award for Excellence in Presentation (1984);
- the SEPM Excellence of Presentation Award (as senior author in 1986, and as a co-author in 1987);
- the Geophysics Best Paper Award (as a co-author, 1991);
- the EMD Certificate of Merit (1995); and
- the U.S. Department of Interior’s Superior Service Award (1998).