At the evening dinner of the Dig X Subsurface conference, Anders Waldeland, Senior Research Scientist at the Norwegian Computing Centre, was honored with the Digital Trailblazer Award 2025.
The award celebrates his pioneering contributions to seismic interpretation and his transformative use of AI in geoscience. The jury highlighted his widely recognized publications, innovative seismic foundation model for the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and creative application of digital methods across diverse fields.
Waldeland is recognized not only for his technical expertise but also for his interdisciplinary mindset and pioneering creativity. He has consistently paved the way for digital innovation in the subsurface community, making him a worthy winner.
Waldeland earned his PhD in Informatics from the University of Oslo in 2018, specializing in seismic image analysis. His groundbreaking application of deep learning began with salt classification in 2017 during his doctorate, laying the foundation for automated seismic interpretation.
His 2018 paper in The Leading Edge, «Convolutional neural networks for automated seismic interpretation» (now cited over 250 times), is recognized as a landmark, showing how deep learning can revolutionize workflows by making analysis of vast seismic datasets faster and more consistent.
Since joining the Norwegian Computing Centre, Waldeland has collaborated with industry partners on seismic horizon interpretation and now leads development of a seismic foundation model for the Norwegian Continental Shelf using DISKOS data. Presented at Dig X Subsurface, this model embeds detailed geological knowledge of the NCS, enabling near-instant, high-quality results for tasks like salt-body delineation, flatspot mapping, and stratigraphic package segmentation.
Waldeland’s work reaches beyond subsurface science. He has applied computer vision techniques to projects in archaeology, avalanche detection, vegetation mapping, and railway track inspection, showing how tools developed for energy research can benefit society at large.
Colleagues praise not only his intellectual rigor but also his approachable style. Known for his deep engagement with complex problems, combined with a collaborative and humble approach, Anders inspires confidence in both academic and industrial settings.
A digital trailblazer paves the way for others, creating a substantial impact and serving as a precursor to further digital innovation and value creation in the subsurface geoscience community. At Dig X Subsurface, we celebrate these exceptional individuals who push boundaries, think creatively, and lead the way for their peers into a digital future.
The previous winners of the award are Robert B. Williams (Norwegian Offshore Directorate, 2023) and Matt Hall (Equinor, 2024).