Employee
Special API recognition awarded to Beaumont employee
and Training. He also is chairman of API Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards (MPMS) Chapter 2 and tank calibration methods. He just completed work creating API MPMS 17.14, a new industry standard that defines the method to determine petroleum coke transfer volumes.
Michael Zook was selected this year to receive the API Citation for Service award. These awards are given for exceptional service to industry and are a true mark of distinction among standardization volunteers. Although Zook was unable to attend the award ceremony held in Dallas earlier this month, he was grateful for the recognition. “It’s an honor to represent ExxonMobil interests in the development of the industry standards used by the petroleum industry. I’m very thankful for the support I’ve been given which allows me to participate,” says Zook. Zook is the ExxonMobil voting representative for the API Committee on Measurement Education
Pictured Below: Michael Zook is the HCP measurements advisor at the Beaumont refinery.
Community
JASON Project: Students explore STEM-based curriculum
divided into groups and led by ExxonMobil volunteers to science lessons where they learned about air pressure, wind speed, root systems, wetlands and weather balloons. The STEM-based program is named after the mythological Greek hero, Jason, who led the Argonauts on a nautical quest for the Golden Fleece. The Jason Project was founded by Robert D. Ballard, the oceanographer and explorer who discovered the Titanic. Ballard designed the STEM-based program to help educate students about their world, and the program has received overwhelming interest by students around the globe. Melissa Chance was one of the volunteers who guided students to their lessons. “As a Lamar University alumna and ExxonMobil employee, I was honored to spend time supporting the jointly sponsored event. It was rewarding to see students enjoying what they were learning outside of the normal classroom and getting the opportunity to experience Lamar. I encourage others to volunteer. It’s an excellent way to develop the next generation of leaders to impact Beaumont and beyond,” says Chance.
During a two-week period in January, nearly 7,000 fourth-through-eighth grade students from across Southeast Texas participated in the Jason Project at Lamar University to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). ExxonMobil supported the program with a $20,000 grant and volunteers who contributed an additional $500 through the ExxonMobil’s team volunteer involvement program (VIP). Carl Jenkins was one of the ExxonMobil volunteers who helped during the event. Jenkins has participated in the event for the past four years. “The program is designed to motivate and inspire students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and I believe it does a good job in cultivating that interest,” says Jenkins. Students watched a movie produced by Lamar University that featured local eighth-grade students performing science experiments. Afterwards, representatives from the National Weather Service demonstrated how tornados are formed by using an encapsulated tornado machine. Students were then
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