Achievement

This year a focus on energy harvesting by IGERT faculty across five departments was recognized through funding of the new International Institute on Multifunctional Materials for Energy Conversion (PI: Lagoudas, coPIs Ounaies, Karaman, Cagin, Efendiev, Benzerga, all IGERT coPIs or advisors). The $4M IIMMEC (NSF-IMI program) brings together researchers in 11 countries (North Africa, Middle East and the Mediterranean) to devise new devices for efficient utilization of otherwise wasted energy. Our IGERT combines expertise in piezoelectric, composite, and magnetic materials and devices with atomistic and multiscale modeling of device behavior. Current trainees Yegin and Pankonien are directly involved in projects on such devices; Pankonien's work with advisor Ounaies had led to the design of an Piezoelectric Active Kelp system for harvesting of hydrokinetic energy in the oceans, while Yegin's project (with advisor Karaman) utilizes harvesting of energy in thermo-magnetic SMA-type alloys.