Jonathan Boreyko

Jonathan Boreyko serves as an Associate Professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research integrates fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and biomimetic engineering to develop sustainable solutions for water and energy harvesting through innovations like Fog Harps and synthetic trees.

Dr. Boreyko earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University (2012), following an M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from Trinity College (2007). His academic journey includes postdoctoral research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and faculty appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics at Virginia Tech before transitioning to Mechanical Engineering.

His research program centers on interfacial phenomena in micro/nano-structured materials, with core expertise in droplet dynamics, phase-change heat transfer (condensation, evaporation, boiling), and biomimetic water harvesting systems. The Nature-Inspired Fluids and Interfaces Lab examines how natural designs—from plant transpiration to insect surfaces—can inform engineered solutions for atmospheric water collection, anti-icing, and thermal management.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals three dominant research thrusts: (1) biomimetic water harvesting systems (Fog Harps for atmospheric water collection), (2) thermal diodes leveraging droplet bridging for directional heat transfer, and (3) anti-clogging/anti-tangling mechanisms in fog harvesting meshes. These works consistently bridge fundamental fluid mechanics with practical sustainability applications.

His scientific achievements include:

• John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow (2020)
• NSF CAREER Award for Thermal Transport Processes (2017)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Program Award (2016)
• 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2016)
• Multiple best poster awards at APS, Gordon Research Conferences, and MRS meetings

Dr. Boreyko has advised graduate students including Weiwei (Ph.D., 2020) and Viverjita (M.S., 2020), with research funded by NSF, AFOSR, and 3M. His lab maintains active collaborations with industry partners and national laboratories for technology translation.

The Nature-Inspired Fluids and Interfaces Lab combines experimental fluid dynamics, materials characterization, and computational modeling to develop deployable systems. Current projects include scaling Fog Harps for real-world water harvesting, optimizing synthetic trees for passive desalination, and exploring jumping-droplet phenomena for thermal management in electronics.