Micro/nano engineering at the interface of thermal-fluid, material and energy sciences
Energy e x ploration Laboratory
Principal Investigator
Sajjad Bigham
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering (minor in Material Science and Engineering), 2016, University of Florida
Group leader, Energy eXploration Laboratory (Energy-X)
Associate Professor,
Lou and Herbert Wacker Professor in Mechanical Engineering
Energy-Thermo-Fluids (ETF) Area Director
Mechanical Engineering Department, Michigan Tech University
Email: sbigham at mtu dot edu
Graduate Students
To be updated ...
Masoud Ahmadi
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Next-gen. HVAC systems
Energy-X: August 2018 - present
Shiying Cai
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: High-efficiency desalination systems
Energy-X: March 2020 - present
Ikechukwu (Emmanuel) Okoh
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Adv. thermal energy storage systems
Energy-X: August 2018 - present
Behnam Ahmadi
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: High-performance HVAC systems
Energy-X: July 2019 - present
Behzad Ahmadi
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Compact 3D-printed HTHP HXs
Energy-X: August 2019 - present
Rasoul (Amir) Bayani
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Ceramic 3D-printed HTHP HXs
Energy-X: Jan. 2020 - present
John Creegan
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Desiccant-based AC systems
Energy-X: Jan. 2022 - present
Hanry Issavi
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Flow boiling process
Energy-X: Sept. 2020 - present
Peter Nguyen
Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Microscale phase-change heat transfer
(Co-advised with Dr. Kazuya Tajiri)
Energy-X: Jan. 2017 - present
Undergraduate Students
Gracie Brownlow
B.S. student, Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Building energy efficiency
Energy-X: Nov. 2020 - present
Alumni
Tania Demonte Gonzalez
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Energy efficiency in buildings
Energy-X: March 2017 - March 2018
Leroy Kincannon
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Next-gen. energy efficient systems
Energy-X: March 2017 - March 2018
Gnana Vishnu Durgam
M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Thesis topic: Capillary-assis. Enhan. Condensation Heat Transfer for Low Surface Tension Liquids
Energy-X: Jan. 2017 - Sept. 2018
Current position: Mechanical designer at RGD consulting engineers, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Venkatesh Narsingrao Mantalwad
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2017
Topic: HFO-based cooling systems
Energy-X: Jan. 2017 - May 2018
Current position: R&D engineer at Rheem Manufacturing, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Sampath Boyapally
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 2017
Topic: HVAC systems
Energy-X: Feb. 2017 - July 2017
Current position: Application engineer at Hanon Systems, Novi, Michigan
Chetan Agarwal
M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Thesis topic: Multi-Scale, Capillary Assisted Copper Surfaces for Enhan. Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Processes
Energy-X: Sept. 2017 - June 2019
Current position: Thermal engineer at Amazon, WA
Douglas Pedersen
B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Topic: Thermal battery
Energy-X: August 2018 - July 2020
Current position: Graduate student at
University of Utah
Sunil Pinnu
M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Thesis topic: High-performance ZLD treatment of high-salinity brines using a multiple-effect absorption distillation concept
Energy-X: Sept. 2018 - Oct. 2020
Current position: Thermal Engineer at ZT Systems, NY
Mahesh Puttur
M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Thesis topic: Development and Experimental Investigation of a Lung-inspired 3D-printed DCHX
Energy-X: May 2019 - Feb. 2021
Current position: Thermal Engineer Romeo Power, LA
Shivam Gupta
M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Thesis topic: Membrane-based Heat Sinks for Enhanced Flow Boiling Performance and Reliability
Energy-X: Dec. 2019 - May 2021