Shankar Narayan

Dr. Shankar Narayan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and conducted postdoctoral research at MIT. His research focuses on interfacial science, thermal transport, phase-change phenomena, and the design of nanoengineered surfaces for solar-thermal energy conversion, thermal energy storage, and electronics cooling. Dr. Narayan has authored over 75 peer-reviewed publications and holds multiple U.S. patents in advanced thermal systems.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Postdoctoral Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research interests include:

• Thermal energy systems and phase-change materials
• Material design for solar-thermal applications
• Advanced cooling solutions for electronics
• Environmental sustainability through fog harvesting and smart materials

His recent publications emphasize:

• Photonic crystal thermal radiation
• Optimization of microchannel evaporators
• Nanofiber-based thermal control in extreme environments

Awards:

• ASME Fellow
• NSF CAREER Award (2020)
• NASA Early Career Award (2021)
• Class of 1951 Teaching Award (2020)

Led the Energy Systems Lab (energysystemslab.com), focusing on sustainable thermal solutions for aerospace and terrestrial applications.