معرفی
Luis F. Ayala H. is the Department Head and William A. Fustos Family Professor in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University. He holds dual summa cum laude degrees in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Penn State. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics modeling of multiphase flow in unconventional reservoirs, hydrocarbon thermodynamics, and reservoir simulation.
Education:
- Ph.D. (Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering), Penn State University
- M.S. (Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering), Penn State University
- Petroleum Engineering Degree, summa cum laude, Universidad de Oriente
- Chemical Engineering Degree, summa cum laude, Universidad de Oriente
Research Interests: Advanced reservoir simulation, unconventional gas reservoir analysis (shale gas, tight sands), multiphase flow in porous media, hydrocarbon thermodynamics, and lattice Boltzmann methods. His work aims to improve predictive capabilities for unconventional reservoirs through quantitative modeling of multiphase transport dynamics.
Key Awards:
- SPE Distinguished Member (2022)
- Fulbright-Colciencias Innovation Award (2016-2017)
- Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentor Award (2022)
- Wilson Award for Excellence in Teaching (2008)
Grants & Advising: He has led numerous research projects funded by industry and federal agencies, advising graduate students in energy systems and reservoir engineering. His administrative roles include service as executive editor for the SPE Journal and as an Administrative Fellow at Penn State’s Office of Research.
Labs & Teams: His research group collaborates on projects involving advanced simulation tools for unconventional reservoirs, with a focus on multiphase flow dynamics and thermodynamic interplay in nano-pore systems.
