Bo Zhao

Dr. Bo Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Houston. He leads the Thermal PhotoniX (TPX) Lab, focusing on theoretical and experimental research in thermal photonics, plasmonics, and nonreciprocal thermal radiation. His work addresses global challenges in energy conversion, thermal management, and photonics for sustainable technologies.

Education: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Research Highlights:

• Nonreciprocal thermal emitters for energy harvesting and photonic systems
• Solar thermophotovoltaics and advanced radiative cooling
• Weyl semimetals for topological optoelectronics
• Experimental validation of Kirchhoff’s law violations

Awards & Recognition:

• NSF CAREER Award (2025)
• 2023 Elsevier/JQSRT Raymond Viskanta Young Scientist Award
• NSF I-CORPS Award (2024)
• University of Houston’s 50-in-5 Scholar (2022)

Advising & Grants:

• Advises over 10 graduate students including Sina, Bardia, and Yasmine
• Funded by NSF, DOE, and UH’s SEED Program
• Patent applications on nonreciprocal solar harvesting

TPX Lab collaborates with institutions like Georgia Tech, Stanford, and Caltech to advance thermal photonics through interdisciplinary research.