Carol E. Dinkins, a partner in the Houston office of the international law firm of Vinson & Elkins LLP and one of the best environmental litigators in the country, will join the newly formed UH Energy Advisory Board that brings together global industry leaders.

Carol is an environmental legend in Texas and on a national level, particularly for regulatory and enforcement matters within the energy industry,” said University of Houston President Renu Khator. “I am delighted she will support the University of Houston’s efforts to become ‘The Energy University,’ and help guide the board toward achieving that goal.

The advisory board, which will meet quarterly, is tasked with strategic planning and external coordination. Its next meeting is set for Oct. 28. In addition to Dinkins, board members include:

• T. (Tim) Cejka, president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company
• John W. Gibson Jr., president and chief executive officer of Paradigm
• John Hofmeister, chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership Energy Collaborative and founder and chief executive officer of Citizens for Affordable Energy
• Ryan Lance, senior vice president of international exploration and production for ConocoPhillips
• David M. McClanahan, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy Inc.
Lamar McKay, chairman and president of BP America Inc.
• Marvin E. Odum, president of Shell Oil Company and director of Royal Dutch Shell
• H. David Ramm, partner of DKRW Energy L.L.C.
• Corbin J. Robertson Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Natural Resource Partners
• Bruce Williamson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Dynegy Inc.

Formation of the advisory board is the latest step in a series laid out in Khator's UH Energy Initiative, which aims to capitalize on the region's and the university's strategic interests and strengths. Involvement in energy-related initiatives spans virtually every UH college and includes faculty in nearly one dozen disciplines.

For more information about the UH Energy Initiative, visit http://www.uh.edu/uh-energy/index.php.

About the University of Houston - The University of Houston, Texas' premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 36,000 students.

For more information about UH, visit the university's Newsroom at http://www.uh.edu/news-events/.