Energy is a key component of our everyday lives, and a secure energy future requires a balance between environmental impact and affordable supply. Petroleum and geosystems engineers are able to address and solve important issues that will lead to energy security and thus are in high demand. Producing oil, gas and other fluid resources from the earth is the task of the petroleum engineer. This challenging and rewarding field of engineering requires application of a wide range of knowledge­-from the basic sciences of mathematics, physics, geology, and chemistry to the principles of engineering analysis, design, and management. Petroleum engineers provide the technological expertise to bring oil and natural gas from deep within the earth to the surface for delivery to processing facilities. Petroleum engineers focus on the efficient and safe extraction of fluids from their natural geologic formations. In addition to traditional petroleum engineering career choices, there are other emerging careers for petroleum engineering graduates in pollution clean­up, underground waste disposal (including the subsurface injection of carbon dioxide to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases), and hydrology. These disciplines increasingly rely on the expertise of petroleum engineers. Additional energy-related applications for which petroleum engineers are uniquely educated include in situ uranium leaching, geothermal energy production, and coal gasification. Since many petroleum companies conduct worldwide operations, the petroleum engineer may have the opportunity for assignments all over the world. Petroleum engineers must solve the variety of technological, political, and economic problems encountered in these assignments. These exciting technological challenges combine to offer the petroleum engineer a most rewarding career. Graduates of the program are expected to understand the fundamental principles of science and engineering behind the technology of petroleum engineering to keep their education current and to give them the capability of self-instruction after graduation. They should be prepared to serve society by using the ideals of ethical behavior, professionalism, and environmentally responsible stewardship of natural resources.