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)
