Petroleum engineering student says she chose Montana Tech because of hands-on learning opportunities

Shaena Jackson, from Edmonton, Alberta, had a clear vision when searching for a bachelor’s degree program in petroleum engineering.

“I really wanted a hands-on experience, which is why I came to Montana Tech,” Jackson said. “I wanted great labs and small class sizes. Those were my top things. Montana Tech has a really good reputation in Canada for producing good petroleum engineers, and I knew that I'd have a lot of opportunity to network down here in the States.”

Jackson will graduate in May 2025, and says Montana Tech’s labs have delivered exactly what she was looking for.

“I’ve had multiple labs, for drilling fluids, production, chemistry, physics, mechanics and materials,” Jackson said. “I definitely learn best seeing all the math and science come to life in the lab.”

Jackson wants to focus on the production side of the petroleum engineering industry after graduation because of lab experiences and excellent instruction.

“Over my four years studying petroleum engineering, I've realized my options are really endless,” Jackson said. “It doesn't just have to be finding the oil and getting it out of the ground. Assistant Professor Burt Todd teaches the production class in the petroleum department, and I think he made comprehending the processing of oil and gas really easy for me to understand. He made production class fun, so that’s the direction I want to go.”

Jackson transferred to Montana Tech from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, where she earned a two-year Petroleum Engineering Technology diploma.

She is passionate about energy and its ability to impact communities around the world.

“Energy makes the world go around,” Jackson said. “It's something that we rely on, especially in developed countries. I think that we take it for granted and kind of forget that there are people in countries who live without energy or means to cook their food.”

Attending Montana Tech’s Career Fair provided Jackson with a glimpse into the petroleum engineering industry’s global reach, revealing companies with Canadian offices and promising job opportunities.

“I went to the Career Fair this year and interviewed with a company’s Canadian branches,” Jackson said. “I don't think I even told him I wanted to work in Canada. That’s just how it worked out.”

Jackson said the Petroleum Engineering Department goes above and beyond to make sure students get the opportunity to network and connect with employers.

“The Petroleum Engineering Department and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Club put on a pig roast the night before the Career Fair, which allows us to get to know the recruiters,” Jackson said.

The employers also offer networking opportunities outside of Career Fair.

“They usually bring their candidates and current interns out to dinner the night of the Career Fair,” Jackson said. “You meet other potential job or interview candidates and talk to the recruiters on a casual level before the interviews.”

Jackson plans to head back to Canada after graduation. She’s confident her resume will stand out. She is secretary of the SPE chapter on campus. In her senior year, she traveled with other SPE members to represent Montana Tech at the North America PetroBowl Championship at the University of Southern California. She also traveled with other students to Stavanger, Norway to the SPE/IADC International Drilling Conference and Exhibition.

“Because the Petroleum Engineering Department is so small, you get to know your professors,” Jackson said. “If you get involved, there's so many opportunities for you, so many scholarships, symposiums, and networking events that the department hosts throughout the year that, really, if you put yourself out there just a little bit, you won't get left behind. Whereas at bigger schools, it's really easy to kind of get lost in the crowd.”

Jackson has two summers of fieldwork under her belt, and she says she’s proud of how far she’s come.

“My biggest accomplishment would be the confidence that I gained working in the field,” Jackson said. “People would think petroleum engineers would be rough on a new learner, but in the field, they wanted to show me how each of their specialty tools worked. They were passionate about it and they could tell because I asked a lot of questions that I was passionate about it.”

She would like to go into the production sector of petroleum engineering in the future. When she crosses the graduation stage, some special people will be in attendance. 

“I took a few years off from school when I graduated from high school,” Jackson said. “I didn't really know where I was going. I have three younger siblings who are still in grade school. I want to show them you can do it. You can do whatever you put your mind to, like going and living in another country, like I did.”