Whether the focus is sustainable energy generation, conversion, or storage, including electrical energy generation via solar and other renewable sources, or how to transfer and store energy between its generation and use, materials science and engineering play a key role.
Our research includes selecting, designing, and manufacturing advanced materials for these energy applications, such as organic and inorganic photovoltaics, and energy conversion and storage in batteries, fuel cells, and capacitors. We also evaluate and develop processes and materials for the safe disposal of energy materials (e.g., nuclear fuels, lithium, rare earth) and their circular economy.
Faculty
Research Interests: Nuclear Security and Detection, Electronic Materials, Non-Destructive Examination, Radiation Imaging; applied aspects of cargo monitoring, detector testing and characterization for gamma-ray spectroscopy, and development and analysis of techniques for environmental sampling and surveys related to on-site inspections.
Ph.D., 2017, University of California, Santa Barbara
Research Interests: Energy Materials, Advanced Materials Characterization, Electronic Materials, Ceramics, Machine Learning and AI; energy storage materials, functional and electronic materials, lithium-ion batteries, structure-property relationships, X-ray diffraction, pair distribution function analysis, local structure, amorphous and disordered materials
Lab Website: Butala Research Group
Ph. D., 2002, The Pennsylvania State University
Research Interests: Ceramics, Energy Materials, Advanced Materials Characterization, Electronic Materials, Machine Learning and AI, Nuclear Fuels and Materials, Nuclear Security and Detection, Materials Processing
Lab Website: Nino Research Group (NRG)