Akanksha Menon

Dr. Akanksha Menon is an Assistant Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, leading the Water-Energy Research Lab (WERL). Her research focuses on sustainable energy and water technologies at the water-energy nexus, including solar desalination, thermal energy storage, and functional materials. She holds a PhD (2018) and MS (2015) in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a BS from Texas A&M University at Qatar (2013).

Her work addresses climate change mitigation through innovations like solar-driven desalination systems, thermal energy storage materials, and energy-efficient building technologies. Key research interests include lower critical solution temperature (LCST) mixtures, thermoresponsive ionic liquids, and salt hydrates for energy applications.

Dr. Menon has received prestigious awards such as the NSF Career Award (2023), ACS Doctoral New Investigator Award (2023), and the U.S. Department of Energy Women @ Energy recognition (2021). Her lab collaborates with industry and national labs to bridge research with real-world applications, emphasizing decarbonization and sustainable resource management.

Her contributions span publications on solar energy integration, functional materials for energy harvesting, and techno-economic frameworks for desalination. She actively mentors students and advocates for women in STEM through initiatives like the Energy Club @ Georgia Tech and Berkeley Lab’s Water Wednesday’s program.