LYNCH
$1M Gift to UW Establishes New Multidisciplinary Advanced Stimulation Laboratory
Soheil Saraji, Le Norman Endowed Leadership Chair and Richard and Marilyn Lynch Non-endowed Chair in Subsurface Energy and Digital Innovation
A transformative $1 million gift from Richard and Marilyn Lynch has made possible the creation of the Richard and Marilyn Lynch Multidisciplinary Advanced Stimulation Laboratory in the University of Wyoming’s Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering.
“We believe the future of energy depends on innovation grounded in strong science and education,” says UW alum Richard Lynch. “By supporting this laboratory at the University of Wyoming, we hope to empower students and faculty to develop practical solutions that strengthen the energy industry while preparing the next generation of leaders.”
Lynch, who earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from UW in 1980, retired after serving as senior vice president of technology and services at Hess Corporation in Houston, Texas. He has served as the vice chairman of the industry advisory board for UW’s Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering since 2016.
Made through a donor-advised fund to the UW Foundation, the gift establishes the Richard and Marilyn Lynch Multidisciplinary Advanced Stimulation Lab Excellence Fund, which will provide long-term support for the laboratory. The fund can be used for undergraduate and graduate student opportunities, enhancements to hardware and software, advanced equipment and licenses, recruitment initiatives, curriculum integration, and expanded academic offerings. A portion of the funding also will support the use of artificial intelligence to strengthen research efforts.
Housed in the Science Initiative Building, the new laboratory will serve as a multidisciplinary research hub integrating geomechanics, fluid dynamics, advanced reservoir characterization, and artificial intelligence. The lab is a partnership between UW’s School of Energy Resources and the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. It will address critical industry challenges associated with unconventional reservoirs, which are characterized by low-quality rock and high capital investment requirements.
Optimizing primary recovery from these reservoirs is essential to improving long-term economic value. Higher production rates can boost return on investment, shorten time to pay out, and help sustain responsible drilling activity. The new lab is designed to directly support these goals while establishing UW as a center of excellence in subsurface energy research.
