David Spears

David B. Spears, P.G.

B.S. Geology, 1981, Lafayette College
M.S. Geology, 1983, Virginia Tech

David Spears is a consulting geologist whose work focuses on mineral resources, subsurface characterization, and public policy.  David began his professional career in 1983 as a petroleum geologist for Chevron USA, working in the Appalachian Basin and the Gulf of Mexico.  In 1993, he joined Virginia’s geological survey as an economic geologist.  From 2005 to 2009, David served as the Policy Manager for Virginia’s Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, where he facilitated revisions to Virginia’s regulations covering mining, drilling, and energy.  He was named State Geologist in 2009, a role in which he was called upon to provide a scientific perspective in developing Virginia’s policies on mining, hydraulic fracturing, earthquake response, landslide preparedness, groundwater management, and offshore energy.  He retired from state employment in 2022.  David is a member of the Geological Society of America, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and is a past President of the Association of American State Geologists.  David served as a member of the Committee on Earth Resources at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine from 2015 to 2021, and currently serves as chair of that committee.  He has been a certified Professional Geologist since 2002 and was named a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2020.  In 2022, David received the Anna Jonas Award for lifetime contributions to the geosciences in Virginia.