Meet New UT PGE Professor: Yingda Lu
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October 01, 2020
1. How did the work you did at the University of Tulsa help prepare you for your new position at UT PGE?
The University of Tulsa has been a prestigious leader in oil and gas production research. My position at the University of Tulsa allowed me to conduct frontier research of the field by working closely with outstanding students, skillful technicians, and prominent industrial experts. Meanwhile, I also gained a lot of hands-on experience with multiple pilot-scale facilities; this complemented the fundamental research I have been conducting with industrial-oriented perspectives. All of these opportunities have been extremely helpful in preparing me for my new position at UT PGE.
2. How would you describe your teaching style?
Benefiting from a diverse educational and research background, I would like to borrow different ideas traversing disciplinary boundaries when it comes to teaching. During my previous teaching practice, I found this mix of various perspectives serves very well to deepen our understanding of a complex problem and inspire creative solutions. In this coming fall semester, I am going to teach a new course on applied multiphase flow and flow assurance. I will integrate viewpoints of disciplines including chemical, mechanical, and petroleum engineering to illustrate how they mesh and clash. Hopefully that will bring some new ideas to those who may be interested in these fascinating topics.
3. What will be your research focus?
My research will focus on flow assurance issues that impair efficient oil and gas production. I would like to tackle these complex problems via a multiscale approach, which combines various experimental and advanced computational techniques at microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales. The overall goals of my research include elucidating the fundamental physics of these flow assurance issues and developing versatile models to guide industrial practices.
4. What most excites you about the future of energy?
The recent advances in computational modeling and data analytics have radically changed many industries. We are now able to simulate processes at different scales with an accuracy level beyond imagination. I believe these techniques will soon revolutionize the energy industry, and I am enthusiastic to add them as new solutions to the pressing problems of our time.
5. What are your hobbies and passions outside of the lab?
With a recent new addition to the family, I spend most of my time working on training my 6-month-old son with basic survival techniques (things like the types of smiles that melt his mom’s heart so she won’t be too mad with the mess we make). When I do have some precious spare time, I also enjoy reading, piano playing, and swimming.
