Robert Loucks is a Senior Research Scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology. He received his B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1967, and his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1976. His general research interests include carbonate and siliciclastic sequence stratigraphy, depositional systems, diagenesis, and reservoir characterization. His present research includes (1) pore networks in carbonates, sandstones, and mudrocks, (2) evaporite and carbonate paleokarst, (3) deep to ultradeep reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico, and (4) shale-gas systems.