※ A laboratory at UC, Irvine focusing on energy/fuel, environment, and measurement development. ● Welcome! This is the official page for LFA of Prof.
Dunn-Rankin (Emeritus) and Dr. Chien.
● Educational activities include graduate/undergraduate research.
● Research projects involve governmental agencies, industries and others.
04/14/2026
Journal Paper of Wildfire Research is Published!
Kevin, Nathan and YCC published a peer-reviewed modeling article in Combustion Science and Technology studying not only the home geometries, but also balcony and vegetation for ember accumulation.
Check out the work: https://doi.org/10.1080/00102202.2026.2654697
04/02/2026
Some upgrades from EH&S in LFA
Happy E-FIELD Flames anniversary!
Eight years ago, on Pi Day 2018, the E-FIELD Flames experiment initiated on the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments. What began as a journey to study flames in microgravity has become a milestone in space combustion science. 🔥🚀
From Earth, the experiment was operated in real time, with LFA Research Group at UC Irvine, coordinating live with the operations team at NASA Glenn Research Center. Through remote commands, the team conducted experiments hundreds of kilometers above Earth.
E-FIELD Flames investigates how electric fields interact with laminar diffusion flames when buoyancy is removed. By extending the reach of laboratory science into space, this research explores how electric fields could one day help control combustion across different gravity environments—from spacecraft to future habitats on the Moon and Mars.
Eight years later, E-FIELD Flames continues to remind us that even a small flame can illuminate big questions about energy, physics, and exploration.
08/31/2025
06/10/2025
Congratulations to Dr. Derek Dunn-Rankin!
Congratulations to Derek Dunn-Ranking for being named a fellow of The Combustion Institute for his valuable contributions in combustion science and technology! 👍 https://tinyurl.com/s2bb43b5
CI spotlight early this week
05/16/2025
Visit LFA's undergraduate research poster today at UCI Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UCI UROP ) symposium!
The Moment.
All the effort is worth.
05/07/2025
Dianalaura working with colleagues, lead authors a paper accepted in the Special Issue of Energy & Fuels ─ 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝙋𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝: 𝙀. 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙮 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙣,
“Diffusion Analysis and Structure Analysis during CO2 Hydrate and CH4 Hydrate Dissociation and Formation Conditions.” American Chemical Society Publication
Read the work - 110.1021/acs.energyfuels.5c00772
Congratulations to Dr. Derek Dunn-Rankin on receiving the lifetime honorific title — 𝙁𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙩𝙚!
"Derek Dunn-Rankin, University of California, Irvine
for valuable research contributions in novel combustion science and technology and for enthusiastically encouraging the expansion of the combustion field"
Source - CI Fellow page: https://www.combustioninstitute.org/fellows_of_the_combustion_inst.php
02/12/2025
2024 — LFA member created a class of 2024 sticker for the Lab graduates! 🧡🧡🧡
We are honored the members love and enjoy the teamwork together!