Sara Al-Mutairi had been working as a geophysicist for six years when she started to feel stuck. Her work was steady and she was good at it. But she wanted to specialise in advanced seismic imaging, and she was not sure how to get there. She knew where she wanted to go. She just did not have a clear path or anyone to ask for honest advice. That changed when she joined the DGS Mentorship Program.
Sara heard about the program at an annual DGS event and applied soon after. The program pairs members with senior professionals for one year of regular meetings, goal setting and technical guidance. She was matched with Dr. Khalid Al-Shammari, a geophysicist with more than 25 years of experience in seismic processing and imaging. Their first meeting was a simple conversation about her goals. By the end of it, they had a written plan with clear steps for the year.
Over the next twelve months, Sara and her mentor met once a month. They reviewed her projects, discussed technical papers and talked through the challenges she faced at work. Dr. Khalid encouraged her to take on one stretch project inside her company and pointed her to DGS short courses that filled specific gaps in her knowledge. He rarely gave her the answers directly. Instead, he asked questions until she found the answer herself, and that helped her understand each topic properly.
The mentorship was not only about geophysics. Sara also got advice on preparing for internal reviews and sharing her work with a wider audience. With her mentor’s support, she submitted her first abstract to a regional geoscience conference. It was accepted, and she presented her work in front of a room of experienced professionals. She had practised many times with Dr. Khalid, and when she finished, people came up to ask questions and share ideas.
By the end of the program, Sara had completed two advanced courses, presented at a conference and led an imaging project at work. Six months later, she moved into a specialist role in her company’s seismic imaging team.
“The program gave me structure and confidence,” she says. “I would have reached this point eventually, but probably years later.”
Sara is still in touch with her mentor, and their monthly meetings have turned into a lasting professional friendship. She has also signed up to join the program as a mentor next year. The DGS Mentorship Program is open to members at all career stages, whether they are just starting out or looking to grow into a new role.
