Shannon Yee

Shannon Yee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he has served since 2014. He additionally holds a position as Fellowship and Programs Council Member for the Fannie & John Hertz Foundation.

Education:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (2008). Thesis: Development of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Thermoelectrics.
• Undergraduate Studies, Ohio State University.

Dr. Yee's research centers on advanced thermal systems with three primary thrusts:

• Thermoelectric Materials: Development of polymer-based and hybrid organic-inorganic thermoelectrics for waste heat recovery and energy conversion.
• Thermal Management: Creation of polymer thermal switches for dynamic thermal regulation in electronics and energy systems.
• Sustainable Sanitation: Direction of the Generation II Reinvent the Toilet (G2RT) program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on off-grid sanitation solutions for developing regions.

Awards and Recognition:

• Hertz Fellowship (2008)
• AFOSR Young Investigator Award (2015) for polymer thermoelectrics research
• ASME Pi-Tau-Sigma Gold Medal (2017) for outstanding early-career contributions to mechanical engineering
• ONR Young Investigator Award (2019) for polymer thermal switches development
• Bill Gates' Heroes in the Field (2021) for G2RT program leadership
• Raymond Sidney Volunteer Leadership Award (2022) from Hertz Foundation

Dr. Yee has secured significant research funding from federal agencies and foundations, including his role as the inaugural ARPA-E Fellow during the agency's founding year. His Gates Foundation-funded G2RT program demonstrates a commitment to translating engineering research into global health impact, particularly through interdisciplinary collaboration on sanitation technology. While specific student advisees aren't listed in the source material, his leadership in major research initiatives indicates active graduate mentorship.

He directs the Generation II Reinvent the Toilet program, which involves cross-institutional teams developing next-generation sanitation systems that operate without grid infrastructure, representing a major effort to address public health challenges in resource-limited settings.