Subsurface Flow Forecasting Professors and Supervisors

Denis VoskovView profile

Associate Professor

Delft University of TechnologyNetherlands

Denis Voskov is an Associate Professor at Delft University of Technology (Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Geoscience & Engineering). He also holds an Adjunct Professor position at Stanford University (Department of Energy Resources Engineering, USA). His academic career spans roles as Senior Researcher (2007-2015) and Research Associate (2005-2007) at Stanford, CTO of Rock Flow Dynamic (2005-2008), and engineering positions in oil companies and research institutions in Russia (2000-2005). Current: Head of Reservoir Engineering Section (2024-present) Current: Associate Professor at TU Delft (2015-present) Current: Adjunct Professor at Stanford University (2016-present) Voskov specializes in modeling complex subsurface systems , focusing on reactive flow and transport in altering porous media, scale translation for physical processes, high-performance computing for forward/inverse problems, thermal/geothermal process simulation, CO2 sequestration, and nonlinear solver analysis. His work bridges computational methods (finite volume frameworks, augmented flash calculations, operator-based linearization) with energy transition applications like geological carbon storage and geothermal resource management. Key trends in his recent publications (2024-2025) include: advanced CO2 storage mechanisms (capillary pinning, halite precipitation), multiphysics simulation frameworks (thermal-hydro-mechanical-compositional models), data assimilation for geothermal reservoirs, physics-informed neural networks for subsurface problems, and open-source tools like DARTS-well. Topics frequently intersect with energy transition, reservoir heterogeneity, and numerical robustness. Voskov's lab and team activities center on subsurface energy systems at TU Delft, including the campus geothermal project for direct-use heating and digital twin development for geothermal reservoirs. He collaborates internationally, particularly with Stanford University, and leads initiatives in GPU-based Monte Carlo simulations for uncertainty quantification.

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Holly R. BarnardView profile

Professor

University of ColoradoUnited States

Holly R. Barnard serves as Professor and Associate Dean of Research in the Geography Department at the University of Colorado Boulder's College of Arts and Sciences. She is also Co-Director of the Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Program and leads the Ecohydrology Lab, contributing to several major initiatives including the Dynamic Water critical zone project and Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research. Her educational background includes: PhD from Oregon State University (2009) MS from Colorado State University (2000) BS from University of Washington (1998) Dr. Barnard's research focuses on ecohydrology, specifically investigating how vegetation processes affect water flow dynamics in mountainous terrain and how water flow paths influence vegetation function. Her work integrates tree physiology and stable isotope geochemistry to examine evapo-transpiration partitioning, carbon-water dynamics in the critical zone, and micro-climate effects on tree function. She employs state-of-the-art techniques across scales from leaf to watershed to understand how land-use and climate changes impact water resources and ecosystems. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on groundwater dynamics, critical zone processes, and mountain hydrology. Her work increasingly integrates remote sensing, interdisciplinary approaches, and human dimensions of environmental change, with a focus on Western US watersheds and climate change impacts on water resources. Her notable scientific achievements include: Excellence Award from Boulder Faculty Assembly (2021) National Science Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship (2009) Horton Research Grant from American Geophysical Union (2007) Pre-doctoral Fellowship from Ford Foundation (2005) Minority Pipeline Fellowship from Oregon State University (2004) Dr. Barnard actively mentors graduate students and postdocs, currently supervising Karla Jarecke (Postdoctoral Scholar), Theo Kuhn (MS Student), Christopher McNabb (PhD Student), and Rahila Yilangai (PhD Student). She has secured significant research funding including a five-year, $6.9 million NSF grant studying the critical zone in the American West. Her teaching portfolio includes advanced courses on stable isotopes, ecohydrology, research design, and forest geography. She leads the Ecohydrology Lab and collaborates extensively through the Stable Isotope Lab, contributing to interdisciplinary projects that bridge science, art, and community engagement, such as the Colorado Art Science Environment program that addresses climate challenges through artistic-scientific partnerships.

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Anne C. ElsterView profile

Professor

University of Texas at AustinUnited States

Anne C. Elster is a Professor and Director of the Heterogeneous and Parallel Computing Lab (HPC-Lab) at NTNU's Department of Computer Science, with additional roles as HPC Leader at the Center for Geophysical Forecasting and Senior Research Fellow at the Oden Institute. She holds board positions at NTNU and its Faculty of Information Technology. Her research spans: High-Performance Computing : GPU acceleration, auto-tuning, and heterogeneous systems Machine Learning : Applied to optimization and computational geosciences Parallel Algorithms : For scientific computing and real-time simulations Her recent publications (2021-2024) focus on GPU auto-tuning, quantum-HPC integration, distributed systems, and ML-driven geophysical data analysis, with strong emphasis on performance optimization across architectures. Awards and honors: IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributor (2021) IEEE Distinguished Speaker (2019-2022) IEEE Senior Member (2000) She has supervised 100+ master's students, 15+ PhDs, and secured major grants including EU H2020 projects. Current Post Docs focus on HPC acceleration and AI applications. Her HPC-Lab collaborates with CERN, Equinor, and international universities, specializing in GPU-accelerated scientific computing and tools for performance portability.

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María del Sol Manzano ArellanoView profile

Associate Professor

Polytechnic University of CartagenaSpain

María del Sol Manzano Arellano is an Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT), Spain, affiliated with the University School of Industrial and Mining Technical Engineering (EICIM). With over 100 publications spanning hydrology, hydrogeology, and environmental engineering, her work focuses on groundwater management, aquifer recharge processes, and ecosystem services assessment for sustainable water resources. She actively contributes to academic quality assurance initiatives at UPCT through curriculum development and educational framework design. Her research interests emphasize practical applications of hydrogeological science to address water security challenges. Key areas include isotopic hydrology for tracing water sources, numerical modeling of aquifer systems, and assessing groundwater-dependent ecosystems. She investigates hydrological processes in diverse environments—from irrigated agricultural landscapes in Spain to coastal lagoons and Andean basins in South America—using integrated approaches combining field measurements, geochemical analysis, and computational modeling. Analysis of her recent publications (2020-2025) reveals consistent focus on groundwater sustainability in human-impacted systems. Recurring themes include salinity origins in urban aquifers, seasonal dynamics of submarine groundwater discharge, flood event consequences in coastal wetlands, and the development of nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction. Her work bridges theoretical hydrogeology with real-world water management applications across Mediterranean and South American contexts.

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