Associate Professor 

John E. and Joretta A. Chance Endowed Professorship in Geophysics

Email: rui.zhang@louisiana.edu

Office Phone: 337-482-6920

Address:  611 McKinley Street

               Hamilton Hall #313

               P.O. Box 44650

               Lafayette, LA 70504 

Temitayo Olufunmilakin is a PhD student in Earth and Energy sciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. I obtained my B.Tech., in Pure and Applied Physics from Ondo State University of Science & Technology, Ondo State Nigeria, and proceed to further get my Masters in Applied Mathematics from Austin Peay State University Clarksville Tennessee. I am currently working on a PhD project to use Quantum Computing method in Seismic Inversion 

Basanta Paudel is an M.S. student in Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and completed his M.S. in Engineering Geology from the same institution, where his research focused on subsurface utility detection using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). He has also worked on various applied geophysical projects through consulting-based investigations. Currently, he serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Introduction to Earth Science Lab course at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His current thesis research focuses on Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) data analysis from the Chang’E-4 mission, with the goal of developing subsurface velocity models through diffraction imaging and geophysical data interpretation.

Hamza Rehman is an M.S. student in Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He obtained his Bachelors in Geophysics from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and went on to complete his M.S. in Geophysics from the same institution, where his research focused on reservoir characterization using 3D seismic and well log data in the Lower Indus Basin. He is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant of Introduction to Earth Science Lab course. His thesis research aims to test a methodology to integrate geological and geophysical data analysis for reserves re-evaluation of an oil and gas field, Cameron Parish Louisiana.

S M Shamsul Hoque is a PhD student in Earth and Energy Sciences at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He obtained his B.Sc. in Petroleum and Mining Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh. He is currently working as a research assistant for Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Laboratory (TMSL) project. His PhD project is to develop a machine learning technique to estimate the geomechanical properties of the unconventional reservoir, such as Tuscaloosa Marine Shale. 

Ujjwal Kharel is an M.S. student in Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with Teaching Assistant role for the School of Geoscience. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Geology and master's degree in Engineering Geology both from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and has developed research interests in integrated geology, geophysics, and subsurface energy applications. His master’s thesis focuses on evaluating geological CO₂ storage potential in the Miocene section of the Cameron–Vermilion area of coastal Louisiana by integrating 3D seismic interpretation, well-log correlation, structural mapping, and reservoir screening suitable for long  term geological  CO₂ storage. He has been the recipient of the "Academic Excellence Award" twice and the "Enhancing Excellence in Subsurface Geology Non-Endowed Scholarship Award" here at UL Lafayette. He is scheduled to graduate in the summer of 2026.

Tanner Linacre is an M.S. student and teacher’s assistant for Subsurface Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s School of Geosciences. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. After graduating from LSU, he worked as a Mud Logger for Precision Well Logging in the Permian, Eagle Ford, and Austin Chalk before attending Lafayette. His thesis aims to delineate the CO2 distribution of the Duperow Formation at the Kevin-Sunburst Dome using multi-attribute regression and probabilistic neural networking.

Daniella Cimadomo is an M.S. student studying Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette under advisor Dr. Rui Zhang. She obtained her B.Sc. in Geology from Binghamton University in New York state. Daniella's master's thesis research focuses on high-resolution surface-sourced seismic data which was acquired to image the shallow Carrizo Sand reservoir in northern-central Louisiana with the purpose of trying to determine changes in lithology and fluid content within the sand reservoir. 

Silas Adeoluwa Samuel obtained his B.Sc. in Geology and Mining at the University of Jos, Nigeria in 2016. He is a current M.S. in Geology student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA. Under the auspices of Dr Zhang, his thesis involves investigating the rock physics of the Duperow Formation, from the Kevin Dome in north-central Montana, USA, as a potential site for Geologic Carbon Sequestration. Seismic and well log data interpretation techniques would be explored for this research.