August 13, 2024
Two new faculty, Hannah Lu and Thinh Doan, are joining the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics for the 2024-25 academic year.
Thinh Doan joins us an assistant professor this fall and comes to us from Virginia Tech, where he served as an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in ECE at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2018 and is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award and the AFOSR Young Investigator Program award.
Hannah Lu joins us as an assistant professor and comes to us from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She earned her Ph.D. in Energy Science and Engineering at Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Lu is also a core member of the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences.
Thinh Doan
Tell us about your research and why it's meaningful.
My research focuses on advancing existing control and learning algorithms that enable a team of robots, such as UAVs or ground vehicles, to help humans perform complex tasks. We begin by working closely with practitioners to gain a better idea of the context of the real, practical problem, which helps us develop mathematical solutions that benefit society.
For example, in one of our current projects we use autonomous drones to sample microbes in the smoke after a fire to understand about their behavior, such as how they are transported by smoke and wind. In another project, we use drones to help firefighters fight wildfires. We can collect information about the wildfire and its boundaries, such and wind and weather conditions, or even develop an escape route for firefighters trapped in a fire. Once we design a solution to the problem, we apply it to either a simulation or a real testbed to understand its performance and limitations, then we can go back and redesign our solution if needed.
Why did you decide to join ASE/EM?
It is a great opportunity to advance my career and further my interests in autonomy, robotics and controls. I was impressed with the faculty in the department, and the potential to work with students from top universities around the world. I was also very impressed with the robotic facilities at UT.
What do you enjoy most about your research?
Being a professor in academia gives me a lot of freedom to choose the topics I want to work on, and the topics our group chooses to work on have great potential to solve practical problems. I also enjoy working with brilliant, young researchers as well as performing outreach with high school students. It’s an excellent opportunity for me to not only share knowledge, but also to learn from them.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I enjoy a lot of sports activities, especially soccer, which I play at least 3-4 times a week. I also enjoy tennis, table-tennis, trail running, and kayaking.
Hannah Lu
Tell us about your research and why it's meaningful.
My research interests lie in scientific computing, model reduction, uncertainty quantification, and machine learning in applications of environmental fluids. I am working on leveraging advances in data-driven tools to improve computation efficiency, quantify the uncertainty of models, and provide scientific information to inform decision-making on climate change.
One of my current major research projects is developing machine learning tools to improve geologic CO2 sequestration. This process, which captures and stores carbon dioxide in underground geologic formations, is an important strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere and mitigating climate change. I am also interested in collaborating with faculty in the department to develop a subsurface digital twin model, which combines every aspect of my previous and current research.
Why did you choose to join ASE/EM?
After visiting UT and giving a seminar last fall, I realized it was a dream place for me to pursue interdisciplinary studies. There are many computational engineering pioneers at UT I've looked up to since graduate school. As a female especially, I have been highly inspired and encouraged by role models like Mary Wheeler and Karen Willcox. Texas is a unique location with a lot of support for energy and reservoir studies as well.
What do you enjoy most about your research?
I enjoy working with people from different disciplinary backgrounds. I work with people in experimental and national labs, mathematicians, computer scientists, industry, and policymakers. It can be challenging at times, but it is also fun working together on real-world problems.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Most recently, I have been enjoying swimming and learning how to play the harp.
