Research Assistant

Murray

F. and Julia Hawkins Associate Professor of Petroleum Engineering

Recruiting 1–2 Funded Students — Prospective PhD (preferred) & Prospective MS — Spring, Summer, or Fall 2026

I am seeking prospective PhD (preferred) and strong MS students to join my research group at LSU to work at the intersection of CCUS, geothermal systems, well control/MPD, and process safety
.

Our group studies transient multiphase flow with heat and mass transfer
, combining advanced modeling with multi‑scale, hands‑on experimentation
—including field‑scale testing at LSU’s PERTT Lab
, an industrial facility capable of high‑pressure, multiphase flow experiments in real tubular systems. Future projects will also leverage the new CO₂ research well and related experimental setups as they come online.

Focus areas (selected):

• CO₂ transport safety and subsurface injection
• CO₂, LNG, and hazardous‑liquid atmospheric dispersion resulting from accidental releases or leaks
• Machine learning–accelerated simulation and surrogate modeling for multiphase and dispersion processes
• Geothermal drilling and system thermo‑hydraulics; MPD and well control for offshore, geothermal, and CO₂ well construction operations

Candidates should hold a degree in Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, Nuclear, Environmental Engineering
, or a related field.
Priority will be given to applicants with hands‑on CFD experience in multiphase and thermofluid problems. Strong proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or C++, along with solid foundations in heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics
, is expected.

Experience with
instrumentation/DAQ
, experimental setups
, or machine learning techniques for scientific modeling and surrogate development is considered a plus.

How to apply:

Email your CV and a brief cover note to yuanhangchen
. If available, include representative publications, transcripts, and your earliest possible start term
.

Internship

Full‑time

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Higher Education