Pawan Tyagi

Dr. Pawan Tyagi is a Professor and Director of the Center for Nanotechnology Research and Education (CNRE) at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), leading the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He has held academic roles from Assistant Professor (2012–2016) to his current Professorship (2020–present). His research focuses on nanotechnology, molecular spintronics, renewable energy systems, and advanced manufacturing, with significant contributions to additive manufacturing postprocessing and energy harvesting technologies.

Dr. Tyagi’s education includes a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Kentucky, alongside degrees from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and Roorkee. His leadership roles include Director of the NNSA Consortium (2019–2023) and founder of UDC’s Nanotechnology and Renewable Energy Laboratories. He secured over $20M in federal grants from NSF, DOE, and NASA, advancing initiatives like the Center for Nanotechnology Research and Education.

His research interests span molecular spintronics devices, additive manufacturing postprocessing, solar thermal systems, and pedagogical innovations like student presentation-based effective teaching (SPET). Notable publications include work on chempolishing in additive manufacturing (2019) and transactional analysis in engineering education (2022). He has been recognized with awards such as the Black Engineer of the Year Award (2020) and holds multiple patents on technologies like pumpless solar heaters and molecular device fabrication.

• Grants: NSF, DOE, NASA funding ($20M+)
• Patents: 4 U.S. patents on spintronics, solar heating, and manufacturing
• Leadership: CNRE Director, NNSA Consortium Director, UDC Graduate Program Director

Dr. Tyagi mentors students through courses like MS Thesis Research and Ph.D. Thesis Research, emphasizing innovation commercialization and global engineering collaboration. His lab initiatives foster cutting-edge research in nanotechnology and renewable energy, addressing both technological and educational challenges.