Emma Zhao
SENIOR COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS RESEARCHER AT ARAMCO RESEARCH CENTER
EMMA ZHAO BEGAN HER CAREER IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING with a curiosity about internal combustion engines. What started as a technical interest has evolved into a career shaped by advanced engine modeling work and cross-sector collaboration.
“I wanted to understand the fundamentals behind something as complex and powerful as an engine,” she said when explaining what first led her to engineering. “What kept me going was the environment around me—the people I worked with who inspired me to stay curious and committed to solving real-world problems through engineering.”
Zhao earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University, where she studied fuel spray interactions and engine applications, followed by a postdoctoral appointment at Argonne National Laboratory focused on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling.
Now a senior CFD researcher at the Aramco Research Center in Detroit, Zhao leads several simulation efforts aimed at advancing sustainable powertrain technologies. Her work focuses on the development and demonstration of fuel and engine technologies, with an emphasis on reducing emissions and improving system efficiency. That includes everything from cold-start emission modeling to hydrogen-fueled engine simulation.
If Emma Zhao could bring anything to a deserted island, she’d pick Doraemon—the beloved Japanese cartoon robot cat known for his magical “4D Pocket,” a bottomless pouch that can produce anything—from gadgets to escape doors. “With that pocket, I have everything I need: food, water, tools, anything I want,” she said.
CLEANER COMBUSTION
One of her key projects involves leading efforts under the Aramco-led IMPACT (Initiative for Modeling Propulsion and Carbon Neutral Transportation) consortium, where she collaborates with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), national labs, and universities to optimize engine performance under challenging conditions.
“Our focus is on developing predictive modeling tools for future strategy optimization and emissions reduction,” she said. “Especially under cold conditions, where the majority of engine criteria emissions are generated due to poor fuel atomization, surface wetting, and low catalyst activity.”
Her work doesn’t just support cleaner combustion but also pushes simulation to the forefront of next-generation engine design. “Simulation is no longer just a tool for analysis—it’s becoming central to how we design, optimize, and validate complex systems from the ground up,” Zhao said. She sees digital tools, paired with AI and machine learning, as essential for accelerating sustainable innovation and enabling smarter decision making early in the development cycle.
With more than 40 peer-reviewed papers published—including journal articles, conference proceedings, and book chapters—and having reviewed more than 100 manuscripts for top journals and technical conferences, Zhao remains deeply engaged in the broader scientific community.
"You can learn from others at different career stages, as well as gain visibility for your own work," she said. As an active member of ASME, SAE, and the Combustion Institute, she regularly contributes to engineering societies as a technical reviewer and session organizer.
“Whether I’m building a simulation model or coordinating across teams, I try to approach every task with technical depth, openness, and a commitment to collaboration,” she said.
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