Dr. William D. Gosnold is Professor of Geophysics and Chair of the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering at University of North Dakota.  He earned a baccalaureate degree in Physics from the State University of West Georgia in 1971 and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Geophysics from Southern Methodist University in 1977.  Dr. Gosnold is Custodian of the Global Heat Flow Data Base of the International Heat Flow Commission (IHFC) of the International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI).  He has conducted research on a variety of thermal properties of sedimentary basins including geothermal resources, heat advection in fluids, and kerogen maturation since 1979.  He is a member of Sigma Xi, the American Geophysical Union, the European Geosciences Union, the Geological Society of America, and The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. In 2006 he received the highest award of the University of North Dakota; Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor.