Published November 28, 2023
By Christine Reed
The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Maryam Lakjaa as a Research Professional in the Center for Economic Geology Research (CEGR).
With expertise in data analytics, financial modelling, economics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and reservoir engineering, Lakjaa will be working to support the Mowry Project — an SER-led effort to access vast, unconventional oil and gas resources locked away in a tight geological formation in the Powder River Basin.
A native of Meknes, Morocco, Lakjaa has an extensive, diverse, and distinguished educational background. She attended Al Akhawayn University in Morocco for her undergraduate education. During her time there, she completed two exchange programs to enhance her global engineering experience, one to the Universidade da Coruña in Spain, and one to the University of Wyoming working on projects utilizing lithium ion batteries in solar panels.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Management science, she moved to Oxford, UK where she earned a Master of Science degree in Finance from Oxford Brookes Business School. By using econometrics and advanced statistical modelling, Lakjaa completed her dissertation by assessing the feasibility of the Capital Assets Pricing Model (CAPM) post-Brexit decision. She then returned to the University of Wyoming to pursue a second Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, graduating in 2023.
In addition to her notable interests, Lakjaa is also fluent in multiple languages including French, Arabic, and English.
“Maryam is incredibly talented at understanding and employing multiple disciplines together at the nexus of energy innovation,” says SER Senior Director of Research Scott Quillinan. “In addition to her impressive background in engineering and her training in economic modeling and finance, she is also skilled in machine learning and AI techniques to produce predictive models for oil and gas recovery. We are so fortunate to have her join our team.”
By combining and applying her knowledge, Lakjaa hopes she can help unlock the potential of the tight shale reservoir to support energy-driven economic development in Wyoming.
“I’m so excited to join SER,” says Lakjaa. “It is the best research center exploring a broad spectrum of energy topics including hydrogen, CO2 storage and regulation, nuclear, and other areas that you cannot really find housed in a single entity. I am excited to bring my expertise to the team and apply my previous knowledge to advance the Mowry Project, as well as other important projects.”
