Stephanie Forstner, PhD

Founder & Principal Geoscientist of Diagenyx

Stephanie is an ambitious geoscientist who thrives on collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to create value across the energy and critical mineral sector. Classically trained and a true generalist, she has a strong foundation in both conventional and unconventional oil and gas exploration and operations planning. She now specializes in natural fracture systems, reservoir quality, geomechanics, and diagenetic analysis, integrating structural geology and basin modeling to better understand how rocks store and move fluids.

A practicing geologist since 2008, Stephanie's career spans industry consulting and academia. She earned her PhD in Geosciences from The University of Texas at Austin, where her research focused on natural fracture systems, diagenesis, geomechanics, and burial history in a tight-gas sandstone and enhanced geothermal outcrop analog in Wyoming. She holds a BS in Geology from Fort Lewis College, where she investigated the depositional and diagenetic history of the Wilcox sandstones in a producing Louisiana field. Her work as a high-impact published author has advanced understanding of naturally fractured systems, fracture connectivity, and subsurface fluid flow.

Before founding Diagenyx, Stephanie worked as a Research Scientist Associate II and Graduate Research Assistant at the Bureau of Economic Geology with the Fracture Research Application Consortium. She has consulted for Ridge Resources, Kinder Morgan, and Logos Resources, brokering over $20 million in oil and gas transactions. She has held two internships with SM Energy and Barrick Gold.

Actively involved in the geoscience community, Stephanie has received multiple research and leadership awards totaling over $70,000. She currently serves on the Planning Committee for the 2027 RMS-AAPG Annual Meeting, and is an active member of AAPGWN, RMAG, and FCGS.

A former competitive soccer player, Stephanie enjoys skiing, biking, pottery, cooking, and the outdoors. Most of her free time is spent with her husband, Evan, their son, Westley, and their dog, Max.