My teaching experience began in 1996 when I worked at China University of Geosciences (CUG), Beijing. I had been active in instructing core Petroleum Engineering courses, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, supervising theses, leading field trips, and participating in Petroleum Engineering (PE) laboratory construction. The core courses I taught were Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering and Introduction to Reservoir Simulation, and my courses were highly evaluated. In appreciation of my efforts I received a Teaching Excellence Award during the 1998 academic year. I have always viewed teaching as a comprehensive role which includes teaching preparation, in-class presentation and interaction, and out-of-classroom interaction with students.
At Missouri S&T, I started teaching in September 2011 as an Assistant Teaching Professor, before my position was converted to Assistant Professor in September 2012. I have tried my best to investigate in classroom management skills and increasing students’ hands-on and interaction opportunities through all courses conducted. Throughout these years, my efforts have been well recognized by students and by the community, and my average student evaluations are mostly 3.0/4.0 and above. I was awarded the “SPE Faculty Innovative Teaching Award” in 2016 and the “Mines and Metallurgy Academy Junior Faculty Award” in 2017. I value my opportunities to encounter a young engineer and the chances to change his/her life by prompting technical knowledge, the ever-updating demands from industry, and core values that were passed on to me by my professors and made me a successful researcher and educator. I hope every student I encounter has a successful career.
Teaching Experience
Teaching at Missouri S&T
- Petroleum Data Analytics (PE5801) from 2022
- Advanced Petroleum Data Analytics (PE6801) from 2018
- Advanced Applied Reservoir Engineering (PE4511) from 2013
- Natural Gas Engineering (PE4531) from 2012
- Applied Reservoir Simulation (PE4631) from 2012
- Advanced Applied Reservoir Simulation (PE6621) from 2012
Teaching at China University of Geosciences
- Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering, junior-level undergraduate, taught every fall semester from 1996-2000
- Introduction to reservoir simulation, senior-level undergraduate course, taught every spring semester from 1996-2000
- Undergraduate thesis supervision, senior-level undergraduate course, conducted every spring semester from 1999-2000
- Undergraduate production field trip, sophomore-level field trip, conducted every summer from 1997-1999
Teaching Improvement Activities
- Missouri S&T Workshop: Team Alchemy: How to Assess Teams, February 24, 2017.
- 2016 Curators’ Teaching Summit: Practical tips to help students succeed in your class, Missouri S&T, October 13, 2016.
- Improvement of teaching effectiveness by active and cooperative learning from CERTI, Missouri S&T, funded amount of $4,810 for remodeling an existing course PE 4631, June 2016.
- Advanced Data-Driven Analytics for Reservoir and Production Management of Shale Assets, SPE, March 2, 2015.
- University of Missouri Faculty Scholars Retreat focused on course design, May 19-20, 2014
- University of Missouri Faculty Scholars Retreat focused on integrating teaching and scholarship, February 20-21, 2014
- University of Missouri Faculty Scholars Retreat focused on academic portfolio, October 3-5, 2013
- University of Missouri New Faculty Program (NFP), 2011-2013
- Oilfield Data Mining, SPE, instructed by Dr. Shahab D. Mohaghegh, October 6-7, 2012
- Review for the Principles and Practice Exam, SPE, August 13-14, 2012
- Chemical and thermal EOR modeling with STARS, CMG, Dec. 13-14, 2011
- Missouri ST Accent Reduction Program (Spring 2007, Spring 2010, Fall 2011)
- Monte Carlo Simulation for the Oil and Gas Industry, SPE (online), July 2007
- Drilling Engineering, Chevron and BP, July 2007
- Reservoir Characterization: From the Laboratory to the Field, SPE (online), June 2007
Student Supervision
From September 2012 to present, Dr. Wei has supervised or co-supervised 14 PhD students, and graduated 11 PhD students successfully; and supervised or co-supervised and graduated 11 master students; co-supervised 1 visiting PhD student and 3 visiting scholars; and supervised 14 undergraduate research through OURE program in Missouri S&T.
PhD Students
- Caleb Darko, started August 2022, Dissertation topic: to be decided.
- Ali Muhammad, started spring 2022, Dissertation title: to be decided.
- Junchen Liu, co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Investigation of Micro/Nanogel Transport and EOR Mechanisms through Microfluidic Models and Coreflooding Tests.
- Ya Yao, Graduated in summer 2023, Dissertation topic: Data analytics of wettability alteration with surfactants in carbonate reservoirs.
- Bruce Ofori, started September 2017, paused at Summer 2021 due to health issue.
- Jianqiao Leng, graduated May 2022, Dissertation title: Numerical Simulation Study of Gel Treatment for Conformance Control from Lab to Field.
- Zhao Yang, Graduated May 2021, co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Transport and enhanced oil recovery of polymer and polymeric nano/microparticles in heavy oil reservoirs.
- Na Zhang, graduated May 2019, Dissertation title: Building Shared Knowledge for EOR Technologies: Screening Guideline Constructions, Dashboards, and Advanced Data Analysis.
- Dheiaa K. Alfarge, graduated July 2018, Dissertation title: Survey and numerical simulation studies of EOR in unconventional reservoirs.
- Ali K. Alhuraishawy, graduated May 2018, co-supervising with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Experimental and simulation study on a novel EOR method – coupling low salinity water flooding and preformed particle gel to enhance oil recovery in fractured reservoirs.
- Munqith Aldhaheri, graduated May 2017, Co-Supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Screening guidelines and data analysis for the application of in-situ polymer gels for injection well conformance improvement.
- Yue Qiu, graduated May 2017, Dissertation title: Lab and Field Data Analysis of Particle Gels for Conformance Control.
- Chaohua Guo, graduated December 2015, Dissertation title: Fluid flow mechanisms study for shale reservoirs.
- Laila Saleh, graduated December 2014, co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Semantic model and updated screening criteria for polymer flooding.
MS Students
- Waqar, Ali, graduate in Spring 2020, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis: Data analytics of natural gas injection enhanced oil recovery for unconventional reservoirs.
- Xu, Dawei, graduate in Fall 2019, Thesis: Review and Data Analysis of Low Salinity Water Effect through Induced Fine Migration.
- Ariani Niadia, graduate in May 2018, Thesis: Data Analysis of Low-Salinity Waterflooding to Enhance Oil Recovery in Sandstone Reservoirs.
- Shi, Kewei, graduate in May 2018, Thesis:Numerical simulation study of factors affecting production well gel treatment using linear models with crossflow.
- Zhuxing Chen, graduated May 2017, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis title: Survey and data analysis of weak gel treatments in injection wells.
- Yandong Zhang, graduated December 2015, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis title: Data Analysis of Polymer Flooding EOR Field Projects.
- Na Zhang, graduated December 2015, Thesis: Enhanced oil recovery data analysis using clustering algorithms.
- Mingfei Yin, graduated May 2015, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis title: Data Analysis of CO2 Miscible Flooding EOR Projects.
- Jingyi Liao, graduated December 2014, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis title: Data Analysis of Gel Treatments in Production Wells.
- Jiaqi Wang, graduated May 2014, Thesis: Studies of influencing factors for shale gas reservoir performance.
- Mariwan Hama, graduated May 2013, Co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Thesis title: Data Analysis of Thermal Flooding EOR Field Projects.
Visiting Ph.D. Students
- Zhaojie Song, visiting Ph.D. student from China University of Geosciences Beijing, graduated May 2014, co-supervised with Dr. Baojun Bai, Dissertation title: Feasibility Study of CO2 Flooding for High Water Cut Mature Oilfields.
Visiting Scholars Advised (N=3)
- Jiankai Wang, Associate Professor, Shandong University of Science and Technology, 2023-2024
- Zhao Yang, Associate Professor, Northeast University of Petroleum, 2015-2016
- Chengting Liu, Associate Professor, Northeast University of Petroleum, 2015-2016
Undergraduate Research through OURE (N=14)
- Baihua Lin, 3/2017-4/2018, Reservoir simulation study on major drive energies in oil reservoirs
- Jiayi Fan, 3/2017-4/2018, CO2 miscible flooding data collection and analysis
- Zihao Qian, 3/2017-4/2018, Reservoir simulation study on major drive energies in oil reservoirs
- Shize Yin, 3/2017-4/2018, Data collection and analysis on shale gas projects in the USA
- Siwei Zhao, 3/2016-4/2017, Low salinity water flooding for EOR
- Tan Pan, 3/2016-4/2017, Low salinity water flooding for EOR
- Da Zheng, 5/2014-4/2015, Sensitivity analysis of dual porosity shale gas model using CMG
- Yansheng Liu, 5/2014-4/2015, Sensitivity analysis of dual porosity shale gas model using CMG
- Haisheng Yu, 5/2014-4/2015, Impact of aquifer gas reservoirs using reservoir simulation method
- Shihang Chang, 5/2014-4/2015, Impact of aquifer gas reservoirs using reservoir simulation method
- Hao Lu, 5/2014-4/2015, Material balance analysis in shale gas reservoirs
- Yuanbo Liu, 5/2014-4/2015, Material balance analysis in shale gas reservoirs
- Kewei Shi, 5/2013-4/2014, Factors that Influence Gas Desorption in Unconventional Reservoirs
- Zhe Yuan, 3/2012-4/2013, Parameter study of polymer-flooding-oil-recovery method with the use of CMG
Students Awards
My students were well presented and acknowledged by their academic achievements and community services and many other merits.
- Yao, Ya, WAAIME (Women’s Auxiliary to the American Institute of Mining Engineers) scholarship from SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration), 2023
- Yao, Ya, WAAIME scholarship from SME, 2022
- Yao, Ya, WAAIME scholarship from SME, 2021
- Dheiaa, K. Alfarge, Ph.D. Scholar Award, College of Engineering and Computing, Missouri S&T, 2018
- Ali K. Alhuraishawy, Ph.D. Scholar Award, College of Engineering and Computing, Missouri S&T, 2018
- Munqith Aldhaheri, Third place, Poster Competition, SPE Energy Symposium held at Missouri S&T, April 19, 2017
- Ali K. Alhuraishawy, Best Publication Award, Petroleum Engineering Program, Missouri S&T, 2017
- Munqith Aldhaheri, Outstanding Publication Award, Petroleum Engineering, Missouri S&T, 2016
- Na Zhang, Third place, 2016 Mid-Continent North America Regional Ph.D. Student Paper Contest, March 12, 2016
- Na Zhang, First place, Graduate Student Presentation Competition, 2015 International EOR Conference, Chicago, IL, USA
- Chaohua Guo, Outstanding Publication Award, Petroleum Engineering Program, Missouri S&T, 2015
- Na Zhang, Outstanding Graduate Service Award, Petroleum Engineering Program, Missouri S&T, 2014
- Na Zhang, First place, Graduate student Presentation Competition, 1st International EOR Conference, Beijing, China, June 17-19, 2014
- Laila Dao Saleh, Outstanding Publication Award, Petroleum Engineering Program, Missouri S&T, 2014
- Zhe Yuan, First place, Engineering Category, 9th Annual Missouri S&T Undergraduate Research Conference, April 2013.