She went from pre-med dreams to rocks and rigs and didn’t stop climbing. Nikki’s path took her from being the first in her family to graduate college to running the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at TCU, with stops along the way in oilfields, private equity boardrooms, and global energy hubs. This episode is full of stories about pivoting careers, saying yes to wild opportunities, and mentoring the next wave of energy pros. She’s big on merging business sense with technical chops, tackling water issues, and rethinking how universities plug into the energy world. If you care about the future of hydrocarbons, AI in the patch, or what Texas energy looks like next, this one hits.

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Click here to view the episode transcript.

00:00 - Crystal's Athletic Director Steal
05:36 - Journey to TCU
08:56 - Crystal's Entry into Oil and Gas
11:01 - Chuck's Best Plains Exploration Story
13:15 - Chuck's Best Pogo Story
17:04 - Firewheel Energy Overview
20:38 - Atlas Resource Partners Insights
21:03 - Career Path in Energy
23:35 - Total Energy Company Discussion
28:34 - Energy Mix Explained
32:43 - Importance of Petroleum in Energy
34:15 - Offshore Oil Spills Impact
36:10 - Energy Industry Marketing Strategies
38:36 - Burning Hydrocarbons vs Wood
43:54 - TCU Experience Recap
46:38 - Role of the Energy Institute
49:20 - Carbon and Emissions Credits Explained
52:00 - Energy MBAs Overview
56:30 - Engaging Kids in Energy
59:03 - Contacting Dr. Rafiee
1:05:42 - Closing Remarks
1:06:00 - Energy MBA Discussion
1:07:10 - AI's Role in Energy
1:07:25 - Outro

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