Shawn Putnam

Shawn Putnam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He joined UCF in 2012 after serving as a thermal/materials scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory. His expertise spans interfacial heat/mass transport, optical diagnostics, and phase-change materials. Putnam holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering (UIUC, 2007) and dual bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Applied Mathematics from the University of Minnesota Duluth (2001).

His research focuses on advancing thermal management technologies through optical diagnostics for biomolecular binding and interfacial transport. He has pioneered studies on microdroplet evaporation, pulsed spray cooling, and nano-scale thermal phenomena. Awards include the NSF CAREER Award (2017) and Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowships (2015, 2019).

• Key Research Areas: Interfacial Phenomena, Thermal Diagnostics, Alternative Energy, Biosensors
• Grants: NSF CAREER Grant for active cooling of extreme heat fluxes
• Teaching: Courses include Engineering Thermodynamics, Energy Systems, and Intermediate Heat Transfer
• Lab Work: Develops advanced cooling systems and thermal mapping techniques using quantum dots

Recent work explores pulsed sprays for high-power device cooling and curriculum alignment strategies to support transfer students in engineering. His lab integrates experimental and computational approaches to solve complex thermal challenges.