Energy Systems & Materials
Duke MEMS faculty are experts in developing new energy materials, improving energy-related technologies and exploring underlying chemistry and physics. The vision: a future with clean and abundant energy. They are deeply engaged in developing new sources of energy and improving the design of systems for energy conversion, storage and transport.
New energy materials and approaches include photovoltaics, solar fuels, thermoelectrics, supercapacitors/batteries, efficient lighting and thermofluids. Practical applications are built upon discoveries in mechanics, thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, materials science, applied chemistry and physics.
Research Areas
- Batteries and energy storage
- Computational materials discovery and design
- Constructal law of design
- Efficient lighting
- Energy materials
- Extreme materials
- Hydrodynamics
- Solar energy
- Thermal transport and thermoelectrics
- Thermofluids for energy
- Thermodynamics
Centers & Initiatives
Externally funded research centers and laboratory groups working in this topic area include:
Associated Faculty
Wilkins Aquino
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Adrian Bejan
J.A. Jones Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Donald B. Bliss
Associate Professor of the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Volker Blum
Associate Dean for Research, Rooney Family Associate Professor of MEMS
Chuan-Hua Chen
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Miaofang Chi
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Stefano Curtarolo
Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
George Delagrammatikas
Associate Chair, Director of Master’s Studies, Professor of the Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of MEMS
Olivier Delaire
Associate Professor of the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Liang Feng
Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Linda Franzoni
Professor of the Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Michela Geri
Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Jeffrey Glass
Hogg Family Director of Engineering Management & Entrepreneurship, Professor of ECE
Nico Hotz
MEMS Director of Undergraduate Studies, Associate Professor of the Practice
Laurens E. Howle
Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science
Po-Chun Hsu
Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Tony Jun Huang
William Bevan Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Josiah D. Knight
Associate Professor of the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Brian Mann
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Edward J. Shaughnessy
Professor Emeritus in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Rebecca Simmons
Professor of the Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Pei Zhong
Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Other Research Specialties
Explore additional specialty research areas in Duke MEMS and throughout the Pratt School of Engineering.