Shawn Litster

Shawn Litster is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, where he leads cutting-edge research in sustainable energy conversion technologies. He is affiliated with the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and serves as a Scott Institute Energy Fellow, contributing to major national initiatives in hydrogen and fuel cell systems. His work is supported by significant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ARPA-E, and the Office of Naval Research.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University (2008)
• Master of Applied Sciences, University of Victoria (2005)
• Bachelor of Engineering, University of Victoria (2004)

His research focuses on micro- and nanoscale transport phenomena in electrochemical energy systems such as fuel cells, batteries, and electrolyzers. Key interests include electrochemistry, multiphase flow in porous media, microfluidics, catalytic gasification, and computational fluid dynamics. He pioneers innovations in ionomer-free electrodes, high-oxygen-permeability materials, and low-iridium anodes to improve efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness.

His recent publications (2021–2025) reveal a strong trend toward advanced diagnostics, operando characterization, machine learning integration, and multiscale modeling of fuel cell and electrolyzer systems. These works emphasize performance optimization, degradation analysis, and material innovation for heavy-duty and transportation applications.

Scientific Awards:

• George Tallman Ladd Research Award, Carnegie Mellon University
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award
• Lieutenant Governor’s Silver Medal, University of Victoria
• Best Paper/Presentation Award, The Electrochemical Society
• Best Paper/Presentation Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Litster has secured over $50 million in research funding as a sub-awardee in DOE hydrogen projects and led a $3.2M ARPA-E OPEN 2021 project on disruptive fuel cell electrodes. He is an inventor on two U.S. patents related to fuel cell design. He advises graduate students and leads the Laboratory for Transport Phenomena in Energy Systems, where his team develops novel materials and diagnostics for next-generation energy technologies.