Two Outstanding Individuals Inducted into Distinguished Graduates Society

From left: Barney L. Capehart and David R. Bert

NORMAN, Okla. – Two exceptional University of Oklahoma alumni were inducted into the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Graduates Society at the college’s Convocation Ceremony, May 12, at the Lloyd Noble Center, 2900 S. Jenkins Ave.

In 1990, the College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society was established to honor accomplished alumni. Selection is based upon prominent and distinguished professional or technical achievement, notable public service and significant contributions to the engineering profession.

David R. Bert, P.E., is vice president of Drilling-Eastern Division for Chesapeake Energy Corp. in Oklahoma City. Prior to joining Chesapeake in early 2008, Bert served in various drilling, completion, production and midstream operations leadership capacities at BP, including wells team leader for Arkoma and Thunder Horse projects. 

Bert has more than 26 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, working both domestic and international (North Sea, Vietnam, Canada). He started his career with Mobil Corp. in western Oklahoma, California and the Gulf of Mexico before moving to Amoco/BP and has had a wide variety of technical and leadership assignments with increasing responsibilities. Bert has responsibility for all Marcellus and Utica Shale drilling operations (35 rigs), drilling engineering and construction support activities within Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC. 

Bert graduated with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from OU in 1985, a master of science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Southern California in 1993 and is a licensed professional engineer. He serves as chair of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering’s Board of Advisors at OU. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, has authored numerous SPE technical papers, and has been awarded several patents for oil and gas well technology.  Bert currently serves as the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Technical Committee vice chair. He is an Eagle Scout.  Bert and his wife, Susan, have two teenage daughters and reside in Edmond, Okla.

Barney L. Capehart, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida, Gainesville, where he taught for 32 years. His research and publication focus for the past thirty30 years has been energy systems analysis. He is the co-author of 11 books on energy topics and has authored more than 50 energy research articles in scholarly journals. He worked with the Florida Legislature to write and pass the Florida Appliance Efficiency Act of 1987. He is given credit as the person most responsible for creating these appliance standards, which have saved Florida electric and water utility customers over $3 billion.

Capehart graduated with his bachelor and master of science degrees in 1961 and 1962, respectively, in electrical engineering and doctoral degree in engineering 1967, all from OU.  

Capehart currently teaches energy management seminars around the country and around the world for the Association of Energy Engineers. He is a member of the Hall of Fame of the Association of Energy Engineers, is listed in Who’s Who in the World and in 1988 was awarded the Palladium Medal by the American Association of Engineering Societies for his work on energy systems analysis and appliance efficiency standards. He also is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. He was the editor of the Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology (three volumes, 190 articles, July 2007). He served as lead author of the Guide to Energy Management, 7th Edition, 2011, which is the most widely used textbook in the United States for university, college and professional education courses in the field of energy management.