• Team

    Richard Zhang

    Principal Investigator

    Hometown: Melbourne, FL, USA

    B.S., Mechanical Engineering, MIT (2010)

    M.S. and Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech (2015)

    Staff Engineer, Aerospace Corporation (2015-2017)

    Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of North Texas (2017 - Present)

     

    My research is at the intersection of heat transfer and optics. I am particularly interested in how nanomaterials within microdevices control and divert energy. Adjacent research areas include quantum mechanics, cryogenics, and energy storage. I have a life-long passion in aerospace technology through understanding and developing radiative coatings, photovoltaic devices, and spacecraft systems.

    Micah Vallin

    Ph.D. Candidate (Co-Advised with Michael Pettes)

    Hometown: Las Vegas, NV

    B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno (2017)

    M.S., Mechanical Engineering, UNT (2020)

     

    Research Interests: Nanomaterials, phonon dynamics, and computational optimization

    Project: Thermal conductivity of phase transition nanomaterials

    Partially funded by US AFOSR, and Los Alamos National Labs

    Ethan Cramer

    M.S. Thesis Student (Co-Advised with Dustin Harvey)

    Hometown: Prosper, TX

    B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of North Texas (2020)

    M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of North Texas (2023)

     

    Research Interests: Machine Learning Engineering, Aerospace

    Supported by Los Alamos National Labs

    Support Staff

    1. Kona, K.9. (2020)

    Alumni

    1. Kelsa Adams, M.S. (2022): Sr. Research Scientist, Lockheed Martin

    Thesis: Gradient-Index Metamaterial Infrared Detector for Enhanced Photo-response and Image Quality

     

    2. Ken Araki, Ph.D. (2022): Postdoc, Arizona State University

    Thesis: Tuning Effect on Thermal Radiative Emission of Thermo-Mechano-Optical Gratings and Multilayers

     

    3. Morgan Blankenship, M.S. (2022): University of Texas at El Paso

    4. Ethan Cramer, B.S. (2020): Intern, Los Alamos National Labs

    5. Anton Yorzh, M.S. (2019)