معرفی
Renkun Chen is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), affiliated with the Jacobs School of Engineering. He has been at UCSD since 2009 and leads the Thermal Energy Materials and Physics (TEMP) Laboratory, focusing on thermal energy transport, conversion, and storage across scales. His work involves developing nanostructured materials for thermoelectric applications, studying phonon/phonon-photon transport, and advancing solar-thermal energy systems.
Education: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley (2009), with postdoctoral research under Prof. Arun Majumdar. His research integrates thermal physics, materials science, and engineering to address energy challenges, including high-flux heat transfer, thermal management, and sustainable energy solutions.
Research Interests: The TEMP Lab explores thermal transport fundamentals, novel materials for energy conversion (e.g., thermoelectrics, magnetocalorics), and scalable technologies like solar absorbers and wearable cooling systems. Current projects include high-entropy ceramics, nanoporous membranes for evaporation, and adaptive thermal interfaces.
Advising & Team: Supervises a dynamic research group with postdoctoral researchers and graduate students (e.g., Chulmin Choi, Chin-Hung Liu). Collaborates on grants related to concentrated solar power, energy storage, and advanced thermal systems. The lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, bridging theory and practical applications.
Labs/Teams: TEMP Lab focuses on experimental and computational studies, with facilities for material synthesis, thermal characterization, and device prototyping. Collaborates with industry partners on technologies like thermal batteries and smart textiles.
