Tackling Energy Sector Challenges by Intersecting Materials, Manufacturing, and Systems

ME590 Seminar Speaker Dr Saniya LeBlanc

ABSTRACT:
Tackling the energy sector’s pressing technological and workforce needs requires a multi-pronged approach. I will discuss our research at the intersection of solid-state energy conversion materials and additive manufacturing as well as large-scale district energy systems with integrated renewable power and storage. The first part of the talk will focus on thermoelectric power generators that convert waste heat into electricity; additive manufacturing could enable new architectures, material-to-device integration, and large-area processing. I will describe our progress in laser-based additive manufacturing of thermoelectric materials and discuss the link between multi-scale materials, manufacturing, and system-level considerations for thermoelectric generators. The second part of the talk will highlight our work in urban district energy systems where we simulate multi-building systems with combined heat and power, renewable generation, and electricity and thermal storage to determine impacts on system efficiency, resilience, reliability, and return on investment for new technologies. Our latest expansion of the project takes us directly into Washington DC’s communities where our relationships with community members center equity and social justice in our design thinking approach to energy transitions.

Additional Information:

BIO:

Saniya LeBlanc is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the George Washington University. Her research goals are to create next-generation energy solutions leveraging advanced materials and manufacturing techniques. Previously, she was a scientist at a startup company developing energy conversion technologies. Prior to pursuing a PhD, she was a high school teacher through Teach for America. Dr. LeBlanc obtained a PhD and MS in mechanical engineering with a minor in materials science at Stanford University. She was a Churchill Scholar at University of Cambridge where she received an MPhil in engineering, and she has a BS in mechanical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2018, the American Society of Engineering Education named Dr. LeBlanc one of its “20 Under 40” high-achieving researchers and educators, and she received the NSF CAREER award in 2020.