{"684903":{"#nid":"684903","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Third Cohort of the Energy Faculty Fellow Program Attracts Multidisciplinary Researchers ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\/sei-energy-faculty-fellow-program\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI) at Georgia Tech concluded its third cohort of Energy Faculty Fellows in August, welcoming a diverse group of researchers for a 10-week summer fellowship. The program is designed to advance energy innovation and collaboration by supporting\u0026nbsp;cross-institutional partnerships and facilitating dialogue on regional, national, and global energy priorities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program intends to build research partnerships between Georgia Tech and other academic institutions \u2014 specifically, emerging research institutions including R2 universities, minority-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and primarily undergraduate institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Energy Faculty Fellows program is a key part of our five-year strategy to expand collaboration and strengthen workforce development in energy research,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/christine-conwell\u0022\u003EChristine Conwell\u003C\/a\u003E, SEI\u2019s interim executive director. \u201cThe cross-institutional collaborations foster broader engagement across the energy sector and help connect diverse research communities to meet the demands of the evolving energy landscape.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the fellowship, participants engage in joint research with their Georgia Tech hosts and their research teams, gaining hands-on experience and insights. These experiences not only enrich their immediate projects but also contribute to strengthening research systems at their home institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program continues to advance workforce development in the energy sector by involving undergraduate researchers in its core activities. Students work closely with fellows on applied research, enabling them to explore potential career paths and evaluate their interest in contributing to the future of energy innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere is the 2025 cohort of SEI\u2019s Energy Faculty Fellows, in their own words.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jamal-mamkhezri\/\u0022\u003EJamal Mamkhezri\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Economics, New Mexico State University\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHost:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/laura-taylor\u0022\u003ELaura Taylor\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor, School of Economics, and Director, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/epicenter.energy.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnergy Policy and Innovation Center\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past 10 weeks, I have worked closely with my host, Laura Taylor, and a talented group of students on projects that spanned a wide range of energy topics \u2014 from peer-to-peer energy trading and battery storage in wholesale markets to the impacts of energy prices on retail spending, EV charging infrastructure, electricity outages and crime, and the potential of small modular reactors. My own research during this period focused on two key areas: analyzing the impact of data center expansion on wholesale electricity prices and evaluating how utility-scale solar projects influence property and farmland values across the Southeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe biggest takeaway from this experience has been the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, combining economics, policy, and engineering perspectives with students and faculty. It sparked richer questions and solutions than what I would have developed on my own.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo my peers back home: Embrace cross-disciplinary hubs like SEI to elevate your research and connections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/judith-jenkins-80b1b577\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJudy Jenkins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EProfessor of Chemistry, Eastern Kentucky University\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHost:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/erin-l-ratcliff\u0022\u003EErin Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI started the fellowship with two goals \u2014 to collaborate with Erin Ratcliff and her group while at Georgia Tech, and to build the foundation for continued collaboration after I return to Eastern Kentucky University. These goals have been realized, and so much more. The Ratcliff group and the whole SEI team welcomed me into the Georgia Tech energy community and supported this partnership every step of the way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI particularly enjoyed getting to work alongside graduate students and postdocs in the Ratcliff group. While they were much more familiar with the chemical system of interest, I had more experience in some of the techniques. Together we made a great team! Getting to spend 10 weeks with them helped me move from general ideas for collaboration to a much more specific and nuanced understanding of the ways we can work together going forward.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOutside of the lab, I appreciated the way the SEI team introduced us to their initiatives more broadly. I have a much better understanding of the scope of the Institute and the ways different people are working together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/cody-gonzalez\/\u0022\u003ECody Gonzalez\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHosts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/nazanin-bassiri-gharb\u0022\u003ENazanin Bassiri-Gharb\u003C\/a\u003E, Harris Saunders Jr. Chair and Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hailong-chen\u0022\u003EHailong Chen\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUndergraduate Student: \u003C\/strong\u003ERebecca Lima, University of Texas at San Antonio\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring my fellowship, I collaborated with Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb and Hailong Chen on two research fronts: lead zirconate antiferroelectrics and stress-potential coupling in solid-state batteries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERebecca Lima, an undergraduate student from my university, was able to join the research through the SURE program and was able to achieve highly oriented lead zirconate films with promising applications in energy storage and actuation, with help from Nazanin\u2019s Ph.D. student, Milan Haddad.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Chen\u2019s lab, alongside postdoctoral researcher Zhantao Liu, we advanced solid-state cell characterization for improved capacity and self-sensing. Lima also led a battery coating workshop as a knowledge exchange between Georgia Tech and UTSA.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the 10 weeks, I also began discussions with Tequila Harris on studying how manufacturing methods affect battery anode coatings, with plans to use her pilot-scale, roll-to-roll facility for future testing and collaboration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking in the Advanced Research Institute (ARI) in The Kendeda Building with Shannon Yee provided critical support and equipment for electrochemical cell characterization. Through networking within Kendeda, I also got an opportunity to participate in weekly brainstorming sessions on topics like clean water and robotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking ahead, I plan to integrate Bassiri-Gharb\u2019s expertise in antiferroelectric synthesis and piezo force microscopy with my background in electrochemical cell fabrication to pursue electrochemical strain microscopy. This will enable direct strain measurement from ionic currents, advancing high-capacity batteries and ultra-dense electrochemical actuators for precision applications like telescope mirror alignment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u0027m grateful to my colleagues at UTSA for encouraging me to apply and sharing their positive experiences at Georgia Tech. My time here has been incredibly rewarding \u2014 working alongside outstanding collaborators has strengthened my research and expanded both my network and ideas. The Energy Faculty Fellows program has already led to new proposals and co-authored papers, and I\u2019ve encouraged others to apply. Collaborating across disciplines \u2014 from materials science and electrochemistry to advanced manufacturing \u2014 has opened up exciting opportunities to tackle real-world challenges in energy and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/hossein-taheri\/\u0022\u003EHossein Taheri\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, Georgia Southern University.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHost: \u003C\/strong\u003EJin-Yeon Kim, Senior Research Scientist, Georgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the past 10 weeks, I collaborated with my Georgia Tech host Jin Yeon Kim on two key research projects. The first evaluated advanced nondestructive testing (NDT) methods \u2014 like PAUT and MCT \u2014 for assessing quality in metal additive manufacturing. The second explored acoustic-based NDT techniques to assess the operational health of lithium-ion batteries, particularly in electric vehicle applications. As demand for battery-powered technologies grows, ensuring safe and reliable operation through in-situ monitoring is critical. These efforts have laid a strong foundation for future proposals and joint publications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe biggest takeaway has been the value of cross-institutional collaboration in advancing interdisciplinary research. Working with researchers at Georgia Tech deepened my technical expertise and showed how partnerships can accelerate innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo my peers at Georgia Southern: Seek out collaborations beyond your institution. They can lead to new ideas, stronger research impact, and more opportunities for funding, publication, and student development. Collaboration is not only beneficial but is essential for addressing today\u2019s engineering challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\/sei-energy-faculty-fellow-program\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (SEI) at Georgia Tech concluded its third cohort of Energy Faculty Fellows in August, welcoming a diverse group of researchers for a 10-week summer fellowship. The program is designed to advance energy innovation and collaboration by supporting\u0026nbsp;cross-institutional partnerships and facilitating dialogue on regional, national, and global energy priorities.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Strategic Energy Institute (SEI) at Georgia Tech concluded its third cohort of Energy Faculty Fellows in August, welcoming a diverse group of researchers for a 10-week summer fellowship."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2025-09-16 13:51:15","changed_gmt":"2025-10-16 14:09:41","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678005":{"id":"678005","type":"image","title":"all-fellows-and-hosts.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E2025 SEI External Faculty Fellows with their Georgia Tech Hosts\u003Cbr\u003EFrom Left 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