The memories of September 11, 2001, aren’t confined to a single day. For Alex Nikulin, those 9/11 recollections stretch from an ordinary September morning to the weeks, years and decades that followed. Texas Christian University’s new professor of geophysics and Hunter Enis Endowed Chair in Petroleum in the Louise Dilworth Davis College of Science & Engineering reflects on the moments that shaped his path, from a high school volunteer in New York 25 years ago to a scientist and educator committed to helping others.

Sept. 10, 2001
The day before, it was just another commute.

“I don't think anybody remembers what they were doing before,” Nikulin said. “But I can tell you this: It was the most beautiful cloudless day I ever remember.”

He remembers the crisp early fall air and how blue the sky was over New York City. Another morning of taking the train from Queens through Manhattan to his high school in the Bronx.

“It was this absolutely beautiful day,” he said. “To this day, if I’m experiencing a beautiful day that’s too perfect, I’m like, ‘Oh wait... what does that mean?’”

Sept. 11, 2001
The next morning started the same way as the last.

“I went to a high school that we had to take the train to,” Nikulin said. “Nobody knew what was happening. Nobody really understood what was going on.”

The first announcement came through the school broadcast system. At first, people assumed it was an accident. But then the second plane hit.

“Everything stopped. The trains stopped,” he said. “It wasn’t clear how we were going to get home.” After rerouting through Union Square, he walked through the city’s evacuation corridor.

“That’s when it became apparent to me the real magnitude of what had occurred,” Nikulin said. “There was a clear need for help.”

He volunteered with the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services and spent the following days assisting with search-and-rescue efforts.

“It gave me a sense of purpose,” he said. “At the time, it felt like a blessing.”

Sept. 12, 2001
The adrenaline faded, but the smoke didn’t. Lower Manhattan was covered in dust, smoke and millions of pounds of paper from the offices in the World Trade Center towers.

“You couldn’t see the streets or the skyline,” Nikulin said. “All you could see was this plume of dust and smoke.” For days and weeks, the smoke continued to rise, as the collapsed buildings continued to burn deep within Ground Zero.

“The first couple of days were all about trying to actually find survivors,” he said. “I think we were all mentally calibrated to search and rescue operations focused on the aftermath of natural disasters, but what we experienced at Ground Zero was an aftermath of a deliberate attack. Hopes to locate a significant number of survivors quickly faded.”

Within a week, rescue efforts began shifting to recovery operations involving the machinery needed to clear heavy debris.

“Initially, everybody was trying to help in every way they could, with incredible resolve and dedication, but with limited coordination” Nikulin said. “After about a week ... it became more about process and structure.”

He continued volunteering with the Salvation Army, shifting from Ground Zero to logistics and case work as recovery stretched into the months ahead.

Sept. 18, 2001
The World Trade Center had been more than just buildings. The Twin Towers, completed in 1973, were the tallest buildings in the world at that time, standing 110 stories tall.

“They were an element of New York pride, an element of our shared culture,” he said. “It was difficult to accept that they were really gone.”

“There was this period of time in the weeks and months after 9/11 where nobody knew how to process it,” he said. “Are we allowed to live again, or is it too soon? When will the pain stop, and when will the healing start? Can you laugh? When can Late Night start again? I think we all struggled with these questions and looked toward each other to find answers.”

Sept. 11, 2002
One year later, the city looked up.

“I think the first monument ... was two groups of high-powered lights pointed at the sky,” Nikulin said. The Tribute in Light marked the towers’ absence, while New Yorkers continued learning how to carry their grief and make sense of this immense tragedy.

What he remembers most, though, wasn’t the monument.

“It was this total moment of unity that I don’t think we’ve ever experienced again. As we remember the tragedy and its victims, we should also remember the sense of common humanity that we found in the aftermath of 9/11, as it’s certainly part of the legacy – and now history – that should not be forgotten.”

Sept. 11, 2026
Today, Nikulin studies the ground beneath people’s feet, using geophysical techniques to find natural resources and locate hidden dangers, specializing in energy and humanitarian geoscience.

“Humanitarian geophysics relies on many of the methods pioneered in energy exploration and development and specifically deals with developing ways to identify subsurface hazards such as landmines and unexploded ordnance to accelerate social and economic development in post-conflict regions of the world,” he said.

Looking back, he sees a direct connection between what he experienced as a teenager and the career path he chose.

“That experience ... certainly contributed to my decision to pursue a career that allowed me to give back,” he said.

Nikulin now sees that same sense of purpose in the students at TCU.

“I think young people are capable of great things, and we should never underestimate their character and resolve,” he said. “I see that in TCU students – they demonstrate incredible dedication and commitment to making our world better through their studies and in the ways they apply their knowledge, talents and energy to the challenges facing our communities.”

-McKenzie Lane