Chip Groat was sworn in as the 13th Director of the U.S. Geological Survey in November 1998. He came to this position from the University of Texas at El Paso where he was Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Projects following a term as Director of the Center for Environmental Resource Management. His previous experience includes Associate Director and Acting Director of the University of Texas at Austin Bureau of Economic Geology, Chairman of the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, State Geologist and Director of the Louisiana Geological Survey, Executive Director of the American Geological Institute, and Executive Director of the LSU Center for Coastal, Energy and Environmental Resources. He has been a member of the National Research Council Board on Earth Sciences and Resources and the Outer Continental Shelf Policy Board. He is a past President of the Association of American State Geologists and of the Energy Minerals Division of AAPG. He holds a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin.