The University of Tulsa has named alumnus Rick Payne (B.S. ’84) director of its Center for Energy Studies. A first-generation college graduate from East Tulsa, Payne brings nearly four decades of global experience back to the university where his interest in the energy sector began.
Payne planned to study medicine, but he discovered a passion for chemical engineering and even met his future wife in organic chemistry. After graduating from UTulsa, he earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
His career has spanned operations on Alaska’s North Slope, technology development in Texas and international leadership roles in Venezuela and Peru with ARCO and BP. In 2005, he co-founded Foundation Energy, an institutionally funded oil and gas company that raised roughly $500 million across eight funds, including one focused on renewables. He served as president of Foundation Renewable Energy Co. until 2024.
Payne has remained closely connected to UTulsa throughout his career, hiring graduates at Foundation Energy and serving on the chemical engineering industry advisory board in UTulsa’s College of Engineering & Computer Science (ECS).
An interdisciplinary, campus-wide energy hub
The University of Tulsa has a storied history with energy, and as director of the Center for Energy Studies, Payne sees his role as strengthening collaboration across disciplines.
“I think it is important that it be the university’s energy center,” Payne said. “We are not trying to be the College of Business or the College of Engineering. We are trying to be a comprehensive energy center and to advocate across academic programs.”
At its core, the center focuses on energy systems that are available, affordable and safe, an issue Payne describes as a cornerstone of modern civilization. The center positions UTulsa as a fair and honest advocate for energy, encouraging students from many disciplines to explore the technical realities, economic effects and societal impacts shaping today’s energy landscape.
Payne envisions the center as a trusted source for clear, data-driven insight on complex topics ranging from infrastructure reliability and climate considerations to energy demands brought on by hyperscale data centers that power artificial intelligence. His early priorities include strengthening student engagement, partnering with energy-related student organizations and connecting engineering-driven innovation with business strategy and policy conversations, while extending the center’s educational mission beyond campus.
“Most of us don’t think about energy until we lose it,” Payne said. “Helping students understand those trade-offs and their opportunities to lead in this space is where the center can make a real difference.”