UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Qian Zhang, a doctoral student in Penn State’s John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME), has been awarded the Nico van Wingen Memorial Graduate Fellowship in petroleum engineering by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Foundation. Zhang will receive $5,000 per year for up to four years to support her research on unconventional reservoirs and enhanced oil recovery.
“Qian’s election for this highly competitive fellowship — with only one or two students selected worldwide — is an outstanding accomplishment for both her and EME, and it makes us all proud,” said Hamid Emami-Meybodi, associate professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering and Zhang’s doctoral adviser. “It recognizes her dedication and promise, and it will provide valuable support as she advances her research and career.”
Zhang said she was encouraged by the committee’s selection, which reviews applications from SPE members worldwide.
“I'm really honored and thankful for my adviser’s guidance and support,” Zhang said. “Knowing I was able to impress the committee gives me a lot more confidence to continue my work and improve how we extract petroleum.”
Zhang said she considers her work, which examines injecting carbon dioxide into oil reservoirs as part of the Subsurface Energy Recovery and Storage Joint Industry Partnership, to be an important step toward reducing emissions while continuing to provide the energy our societies need.
“The benefit of injecting CO2 is two-fold,” Zhang said. “First, this process can help reduce the harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and secondly, this process can actually optimize oil recovery, so more petroleum is captured during the extraction process, and there is less waste.”
Zhang said she enjoys working with students and engaging with their fresh ideas and plans to pursue an academic career after graduation.
“I still need to work, I still need to study, but I am excited to continue my research as a professor someday,” Zhang said.
About the Nico van Wingen Memorial Graduate Fellowship
Nico van Wingen, the fellowship namesake, played a major role in the development of oil production technology in the United States, Austria, Canada, West Germany, Iran, Turkey and Venezuela. He was active on many SPE committees and won the Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal and SPE Distinguished Member award in 1985.