Bikram Bhatia

Bikram Bhatia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Louisville, where he founded and directs the Pyro Energy Research Laboratory (PERL). He joined UofL in 2019 after serving as a research scientist at MIT, focusing on opto-thermal systems for solar power and radiative cooling. His research interrogates heat transfer, nanotechnology, and energy systems to address global sustainability challenges.

Education

• B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, 2008
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2010
• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2014

Research Focus

At PERL, Dr. Bhatia engineers thermal solutions for energy conversion, solid-state cooling, and thermal management. Key projects include:

• Radiative Heat Engines: Developing solid-state devices for solar/waste heat conversion and space applications.
• Barocaloric Cooling: Innovating pressure-driven refrigeration using soft materials.
• Additive Manufacturing: Designing high-efficiency heat exchangers for solar power and electronics.

His work integrates fundamental transport phenomena with advanced materials science to enhance energy sustainability.

Publication Trends

Dr. Bhatia’s recent articles (2020–2025) emphasize thermal energy conversion, materials innovation, and sustainable systems. Dominant themes include radiative/barocaloric cooling, solar desalination, aerogel-based insulators, and additive-manufactured thermal devices. His research consistently bridges nanotechnology with large-scale energy applications.

Student Advising

He mentors PhD candidates including Dip Dutta (pyroelectric cycles), Julio Izquierdo (heat exchangers), Manish Sudan (materials for energy), and Nour Alwohoush (thermal batteries). Alumni include Gowthaman Punithakumar (MS, battery thermal analysis) and Naveen Weerasekera (PhD, barocaloric systems).

Laboratory & Facilities

PERL specializes in custom thermal systems, featuring setups for barocaloric characterization, laser-based thermal probing, and heat exchanger testing. The lab supports research in energy conversion, materials synthesis, and high-temperature applications.