Team

Yingda Lu, Ph.D.

yingdalu@austin.utexas.edu 

Dr. Yingda Lu is an Assistant Professor in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a B.S. from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, both in Chemical Engineering. Prior to the current employment, Dr. Lu has served as a lecturer/researcher at China University of Petroleum (Beijing) and a Research Associate at University of Tulsa. Dr. Lu's research interests include molecular gels, rheology, multiphase transport, colloids, complex fluids, with their applications in energy industry. 

Derek Burmaster (2020 - Present)

Derek Burmaster is a PhD student in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at UT Austin. His research is on the rheology of waxy oils as well as the non-Newtonian effects in wax deposition process. He is in the process of designing and building a state-of-the-art flow loop to further this research. Prior to arriving at UT, he worked for Schlumberger’s artificial lift group in Iraq, Kurdistan, Oman, and the UAE, as well as in North Dakota. Derek completed a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University. While studying at LSU, he also worked as a student researcher in the surface science lab in the LSU Physics Department.

Fuqiao Bai (2020 - Present)

I am a Ph.D. student in Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at UT Austin. I earned my master’s degree in petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University focusing on modeling of borehole stability problems with finite element method. I am interested in geomechanics and flow assurance such as hydrate blockage problems. My current research focuses on modeling of hydrate formation and plugging in multiphase flow. 

Xiaoshuang (Tracy) Chen (2021 - Present)

Xiaoshuang Chen(Tracy) is a Ph.D. student in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at UT Austin. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Oil & Gas Storage and Transportation Engineering at the Southwest Petroleum University of China, mainly focusing on the flow and re-start characteristics of produced fluid of heavy oil. Then she worked for Worley as an Assistant Piping Engineer. Her current research focuses on fluid diversion by biodegradable particulate diverters in matrix acidizing.

Yuzhou Zhao (2021 - Present)

Yuzhou Zhao is a Ph.D. student in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at UT Austin. He earned his bachelor's degree in Hydraulic Engineering at Tsinghua University of China. His current research focuses on the rheology of nanoparticle enhanced polymer solution.

Hao Wang (2022 - Present)

Hao Wang is a M.S. student in the Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from University of Alberta. Upon graduation, he worked as a measurement technician in Central Alberta, Canada doing oil and gas meter proving. After that, he had 2-year experience in hydraulic fracturing fluid analysis in China. His research is on electrorheology and magnetorheology of waxys oil.