A message from Luis F. Ayala
Welcome to the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at Penn State— where energy, innovation, and impact come together to shape our future and sustain our world. Here at EME, we thrive on bold ideas, big challenges, and real-world solutions. The global energy landscape is evolving faster than ever—and no single discipline can solve the complex problems ahead. That’s why EME is built as a collaborative, interdisciplinary ecosystem—uniting engineering, science, economics, and sustainability to empower the next generation of problem-solvers and changemakers.
Whether you're driven by sustainability, technology, policy, or global impact—there’s a place for you at EME. We don’t just study problems. We engineer solutions that make a difference. We Are Energy and Minerals at Penn State!
Looking for a resident undergraduate degree with impact?
Choose from five cutting-edge majors:
- Energy Business and Finance (EBF), where you’ll integrate energy economics with business strategy and policy to help shape the future of global energy.
- Energy Engineering (ENENG), where you’ll master the fundamentals behind energy industries and explore all energy systems—from traditional to renewables and emerging sustainable technologies.
- Environmental Systems Engineering (ENVSE), where you’ll engineer smarter ways to protect the planet and master engineering principles to protect the environment.
- Mining Engineering (MNGE), where you’ll learn about sustainable mining practices and the technologies behind the safe, responsible extraction of essential materials that make everyday life possible.
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (PNGE), where you’ll learn how to unlock and manage subsurface energy resources—including oil, gas, geothermal, subsurface hydrogen, and carbon storage—to power the world reliably and sustainably.
Prefer a fully online undergraduate experience?
Our Energy and Sustainability Policy (ESP) program prepares you for careers at the intersection of energy science and policy while cultivating a strong sustainability ethic and global perspective—all while offering the freedom of a fully online format.
Ready to take your graduate education and research impact to the next level?
Our M.S. and Ph.D. in Energy and Mineral Engineering allow you to push the boundaries of science and engineering in any of these critical research areas—working across disciplines and alongside world-class interdisciplinary institutes.
Need flexibility in your graduate studies?
Explore our Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems (RESS), a fully online degree designed for professionals ready to lead in renewable energy technology, policy, and markets with an emphasis in project management and systems thinking.
At EME, you’ll be part of a dynamic, tight-knit community. Our talented students, award-winning faculty, and successful alumni are at the forefront of education, research, and industrial innovation in today’s most pressing energy and mineral systems challenges. We’re proud to support every step of your journey, with personalized advising, hands-on experience, and strong connections to industry and research networks. I’m excited to welcome you into our community. If you’re ready to help shape the future of energy systems, we’re ready for you. Join us!
Luis F. Ayala
Head, John and Willie Leone Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
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About Luis F. Ayala
Luis F. Ayala is the William A. Fustos Family Professor in Energy and Mineral Engineering in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State. His research activities focus on the areas of advanced computational fluid dynamics modeling applied to multiphase flow of natural gas in porous media, multiphase well performance, natural gas engineering, and multicomponent thermodynamics. Ayala holds two engineering degrees (both with summa cum laude honors), one in chemical engineering and another in petroleum engineering from Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela), and M.S. and Ph.D degrees in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State. He is a Fulbright Scholar and recipient of the Fulbright-Colciencias Innovation and Technology Award, and has received awards for Outstanding Teaching, Outstanding Faculty Advisor, and Outstanding Faculty Mentoring.
In 2021, he became the inaugural recipient of the Charles Hosler Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty Award in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and received the Penn State Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentor Award in 2022. Ayala served as associate department head for Graduate Education in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering from 2013 to 2019, and served as executive editor for the premier scholarly journal in his professional society (SPE Journal, of the Society of Petroleum Engineers) until 2022. He has received several Outstanding Technical Editor Awards and the Eastern Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award. In 2022-2023, he was selected as an Administrative Fellow in the Office of the Senior Vice-President for Research at Penn State. He was elected a Distinguished Member by his professional society in 2022.