Marguerite E. "Meg" O'Neill earned two undergraduate degrees from MIT in 1993 --an SB in Ocean Engineering, and an SB in Chemical Engineering. In addition, she earned a Masters Degree in Ocean Systems Management (Ocean Engineering) in September, 1994.

While at MIT, Meg worked as an undergraduate researcher with Professor Dick Yue studying the kinematics of breaking waves as computationally simulated using fully non-linear potential flow. Her thesis project investigated the development and propagation of "crescent" waves by extending the fully-nonlinear 3D wave code to this application. This research work helped Meg win the 1992 Wallace Prize for excellence in undergraduate work. For her Master's degree, Meg worked with Professor Judith Kildow, focusing on the management of coastal resources. Her thesis used two case studies to demonstrate the difficulties in managing the diverse users of coastal systems, and emphasized the importance of aligning upstream users within the watershed to attain the goals of the coastal users.

In 1994, Meg began working in the Offshore Division of Exxon Production Research (EPR) in Houston. Exxon Production Research provides the Upstream research and engineering support for Exxon's affiliates worldwide. Meg's first assignments at EPR were in the area of model testing and computational hydrodynamics, to predict the behavior of offshore structures in extreme environmental conditions. In 1994, Meg worked on the model test of the Ram/Powell Tension Leg Platform. Using data gathered in the test program, she performed analytical work to provide confidence in analytical predictions of "springing", data that was used to evaluate the fatigue performance of the TLP tendons and hull.

Meg spent three weeks in California and a month in Norway in 1995 working on model tests of a Deep-Draft Caisson Vessel (DDCV). These test programs were designed to investigate the DDCV's performance in severe wind, wave, and current conditions. Meg followed up the model test work with a series of studies to evaluate the ability of various computational tools to predict the model test behaviors.

Starting in 1996, she became active in Planning for Development activities. These projects involve working in a team composed of engineers from across the Production function to evaluate alternative methods to develop new resources. The planning for developing these resources is started as the company prepares to bid on a new block, and continues through the early stages of a project, evolving as new data about the reservoirs and the technology is available. Working in these evaluations provides a forum to discuss a range of technologies, and to understand the business drivers that underlie any offshore project.

In 1997, Meg was named the project leader of the Alternative Deepwater Concepts research project. The research effort focused on evaluating alternatives to the conventional platforms used to produce deepwater resources. In this project, she led multi-disciplinary teams in innovation work groups, to evaluate novel methods to reduce the costs of deepwater developments. Outside the office, Meg is an avid athlete, and enjoys a range of sports from mountain biking, to running, to ice hockey. She is also the President (and starting flyhalf) of the Houston Herricanes women's rugby football club. Meg recently took up sailing, and for her first regatta, she competed on a C-470 in the 1998 Miami Olympic Classes Regatta.