Date: August 22, 2025
Our lab is looking for two motivated students to join our research group which now have 6 graduate students, four adjunct/research professors, and one lab manager.
NSF REU stands for National Science Foundation – Research Experiences for Undergraduates. I am looking for an undergraduate student to work on an NSF funded project on characterizing seismic anisotropy in subducting slabs using seismic data. The student will measure shear wave splitting parameters using software and interpret data.
· Location: University of Houston (Dept. of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences)
· Start: Fall 2025 (or ASAP)
· Duration: 6 months
· Type: Selected student will be paid a stipend (can’t be employed at UofH simultaneously)
· Funding: National Science Foundation (NSF). U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents required by funding.
· Desired Skills: Experience with MATLAB or Python, calculus, pde, Fourier transforms, linear algebra (required). ObsPy; SAC/miniseed data format.
· Mode: in-person. So ideally, the student is from schools in Houston area.
Background materials:
Appini*, S., J. Li, H. Hu, N. Creasy, L. Thomsen, J. McNease*, and Y. Zheng (2025), Prediction of Complex Observed Shear Wave Splitting Patterns at Ryukyu Subduction Zone Using a Strong Intra-Slab Anisotropy Model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 52(3), e2024GL111131. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111131;
Li*, J., Y. Zheng, L. Thomsen, T.J.Lapen, and X.Fang (2018). Deep earthquakes in subducting slabs hosted in highly anisotropic rock fabric, Nature Geoscience, doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0188-3.
Position 2 – Hands-on Lab Research Assistant (undergrad or grad)
I am looking for someone who is hands on and likes machinery to help design experiments in our lab to test new ideas on hydrofracture. Any prior (lab) work experiences in carpentry work, embedded systems, CAD/CNC, 3d printing, pumps and regulators, fixing things, electronic/construction/stone/wood/glass/metal work are great. You will have chance to work with cutting edge high-res fiber optics, strain sensors, and wireless transmission. You can start asap. Duration: not specified. Funding source: local. So, there is no requirement in citizenship etc. Mode: in-person. The student should be able to drive between hardware stores and lab.
Background materials:
Zheng, Y. (2018). Transient Pressure Surge In a Fluid-Filled Fracture, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 108 (3A): 1481–1488. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120170230
Jin*, Yuesu, Nikolay Dyaur, Yingcai Zheng (2021). Laboratory Evidence of Transient Pressure Surge in a Fluid-Filled Fracture as a Potential Driver of Remote Dynamic Earthquake Triggering, The Seismic Record, 1 (2), 66-74.
1. CV/Resume
2. Unofficial transcript.
3. Short statement (≤500 words) on how you might contribute to the projects
4. (Optional) Sample code/notebook/work or figure.
5. Contacts of three references (name, affiliation, phone number, email).
Email your materials to me: Dr. Yingcai Zheng, yzheng12@uh.edu; please put subject line “UH RPL Research Position [1 or 2] Applicant– Your name”
Application deadline: September 5, 2025.
Interview date: Mutually determined time after receiving the application materials.
Selection date: before Friday September 12, 2025.
For more information about my work, see https://sites.google.com/site/uhxfrac/