In an outstanding demonstration of technical excellence, petroleum engineers Carlos Monroy, from Cali, and Jhon Jairo Maestre, from Santa Marta—both graduates of the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS)—were crowned champions of Petrobowl Europe 2026, one of the most demanding knowledge competitions in the global energy sector.
The victory took place during the Student Technical Congress (STC) 2026, held at the Universidad Tecnológica de Clausthal, where the team representing Robert Gordon University—the institution where the Colombians are currently pursuing a master’s degree in Drilling and Well Engineering—outperformed 15 universities from across Europe.
The Petrobowl, organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), evaluates participants in key areas such as drilling, production, geology, and reservoir management under a high-pressure format. In this context, the UIS alumni stood out for their precision, quick thinking, and technical expertise, leading their team to the top of the European podium.
The event also served as a meeting point for the UIS community abroad. Reinel Andrés Echavez Márquez, a PhD candidate at the German university and a member of the organizing committee, highlighted that this achievement reflects the academic strength of the institution.
“This victory not only represents a high-level academic recognition, but also reaffirms that talent trained at UIS competes and wins among the best in the world,” said Echavez Márquez, who met with the champions and other colleagues currently pursuing graduate studies in Europe.
With this achievement, Monroy and Maestre become role models for new generations of engineers, demonstrating that education from a Colombian public university can open doors and lead to success in the most competitive arenas of the international oil industry.
