Zahra Lotfian, PhD, Pe
About Zahra Lotfian, PhD, Pe
Zahra Lotfian, PhD, PE, is a Senior Engineer at Applus+ in Houston, Texas, where she specializes in fracture mechanics and fatigue analysis for pipelines. With a strong academic background and extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, she has held various engineering and research positions throughout her career.
Work at Applus+
Zahra Lotfian has been employed at Applus+ as a Senior Engineer since 2019. In this role, she conducts fracture mechanics and both probabilistic and deterministic fatigue analysis specifically for pipelines. Her responsibilities include performing Fitness-For-Service (FFS) and Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA) on new and existing pipes, welds, pressure vessels, and other components. She is based in the Houston, Texas area and has accumulated five years of experience in this position.
Previous Experience at ExxonMobil
Prior to her current role, Zahra Lotfian worked at ExxonMobil as a Research Engineer from 2018 to 2019 for nine months. In addition, she served as a Research Intern at ExxonMobil for three months in 2018. During her time at ExxonMobil, she contributed to various research projects and gained valuable experience in the oil and gas sector.
Educational Background
Zahra Lotfian completed her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University at Buffalo from 2010 to 2015. She also earned a Master of Science (MS) degree from the same institution from 2010 to 2012. Her undergraduate studies were completed at Sharif University of Technology, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) from 2006 to 2010. Additionally, she attended NODET (National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents) and achieved a high school diploma from 1999 to 2006.
Teaching and Research Experience
Zahra Lotfian has held several academic positions, including serving as a Teaching Assistant at the University at Buffalo from 2010 to 2012 and at Sharif University of Technology from 2009 to 2010. She also worked as a Research Assistant at the University at Buffalo for five years, from 2010 to 2015. Furthermore, she was a Postdoctoral Scholar at Princeton University from 2015 to 2017, where she engaged in advanced research activities.
Specializations and Technical Skills
Zahra Lotfian specializes in performing finite element modeling for oil and gas assets. Her technical skills include conducting stress, thermal, fluid, pipe-soil-interaction, and seismic analyses. She is also involved in the analysis and monitoring of pipelines that are affected by blast vibrations from mining, quarrying, and construction activities.