Jacob Leachman

Jacob Leachman is a Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University (WSU). He established the HYdrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) laboratory in 2010, the first and only US academic lab focused on cryogenic hydrogen research. With a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2010, University of Wisconsin-Madison), M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2007, University of Idaho), and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2005, University of Idaho), his work bridges quantum mechanics and macro-scale energy applications.

• Academic Journey: University of Idaho (BS/MS), University of Wisconsin-Madison (PhD)
• Lab Leadership: HYPER Lab (2010–present), first cryogenic hydrogen lab in US academia
• Technical Contributions: NIST hydrogen standards, SAE J2601 fueling protocol, 3D-printed hydrogen tanks

Research Interests center on leveraging hydrogen's quantum properties at cryogenic temperatures for energy systems. Key areas include:

• Cryogenic hydrogen thermophysical modeling and measurement
• Hydrogen fueling for aerospace and heavy-duty vehicles
• Para-orthohydrogen conversion for energy storage
• Leidenfrost dusting technology for space exploration

Scientific Awards include:

• 2023 WSU Technology with an Impactful Contribution to Society Award
• 2023 R.B. Scott Award (Cryogenic Engineering Conference)
• 2021 NASA Artemis Award
• 2018 Roger W. Boom Award (Cryogenics Society of America)
• 2008 Western Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Thesis Award

Advising and Intellectual Contributions show his commitment to developing engineers through innovative pedagogy and mentoring. His lab has produced three National Science, Technology, Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) winners and trained students like Konstantin Matveev, Arezoo Zare, and Satyajit Mojumder. He co-authored Thermodynamic Properties of Cryogenic Fluids (Springer, 2017) and is completing Cool Fuel (Oxford, 2024).

HYPER Lab Innovations include:

• Heisenberg Vortex technology for hydrogen dynamics
• H2-Flo thermal compression refueling station
• Cryogenic origami bellows for space applications
• World’s first 3D-printed liquid hydrogen tank