TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - A Houston company has awarded The University of Alabama department of geological sciences computer software valued at approximately $380,000 to assist the department in its teaching and research efforts.

The grant from Seismic Micro-Technology Inc. gives the department use of the software to sort and analyze seismic and well data collected from underneath the earth's surface, said Dr. Dennis Harry, associate professor of geophysics at UA.

“This software allows us to put these two different types of data together to get a much better understanding of the geology beneath the ground,” Harry said.

By analyzing data from underground, researchers can learn more about the earth's make-up, including plate tectonics and how mountains form, and develop better ways to recover oil and gas from the ground. Having such software available also enables geology students to learn and practice using the types of technology they will use in their professional geological careers, Harry said.

The license to use the software is a three-year, renewable grant.