About Me
I joined the Chemical Engineering faculty at the University of Michigan in the Fall of 2016. I completed my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at MIT in 2014 under the supervision of Prof. Evelyn Wang. I then joined the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow to conduct research within the Nanoscale Transport Lab (with Prof. Pramod Reddy and Prof. Edgar Meyhofer), and the Center for Photonic and Multiscale Nanomaterials (C-PHOM).
The focus of my research is on addressing global challenges at the energy-water nexus by bridging the gap between system level design and mesoscale materials science. To achieve this goal, I aim to (1) probe energy conversion and transport with nanoscale resolution in functional nanostructured materials and (2) develop guidelines for engineering the role of nanoscale building blocks in devices and systems. My methods include: multiscale design and optimization, scanning probe thermometry and spectroscopy, and micro/nano fabrication. The broader impact of my research is the translation of this understanding into improvements in efficiency and cost of technologies for power generation, energy storage, thermal management and desalination.
[Curriculum Vitae: pdf]
Education
Ph.D., MIT, 2014
S.M., MIT, 2010
B.S.Eng., University of Iowa, 2008
Selected Publications
- Y. Kim, A. Lenert, E. Meyhofer, P. Reddy, Temperature dependence of thermopower in molecular junctions, Applied Physics Letters, 109, p. 033102, 2016.
- D.M. Bierman, A. Lenert, C. Wang, W.R. Chan, I. Celanović, M. Soljačić, E.N. Wang, Enhanced photovoltaic energy conversion using thermally-based spectral shaping, Nature Energy, 1(6), 2016.
- D. Liu, D.M. Bierman, A. Lenert, H.T. Yu, Z. Yang, E.N. Wang, Y.Y. Duan, Ultrathin planar hematite film for solar photoelectrochemical water splitting, Optics Express, 23(24), p. A1491-1498, 2015.
- A. Lenert, Y. Nam, D.M. Bierman, E.N. Wang, Role of spectral non-idealities in the design of solar thermophotovoltaics, Optics Express, 22(S6), p. A1604-A1618, 2014.
- J.B. Chou, Y.X. Yeng, Y.E. Lee, A. Lenert, V. Rinnerbauer, I. Celanovic, M. Soljacic, N.X. Fang, E.N. Wang, and S.G. Kim, Enabling Ideal Selective Solar Absorption with 2D Metallic Dielectric Photonic Crystals, Advanced Materials, 2014.
- V. Rinnerbauer, A. Lenert, D.M. Bierman, Y.X. Yeng, W.R. Chan, R.D. Geil, J.J. Senkevich, J.D. Joannopoulos, E.N. Wang, M. Soljacic, I. Celanovic, Metallic Photonic Crystal Absorber-Emitter for Spectral Control in High-Temperature Solar-Thermophotovoltaics, Advanced Energy Materials, 2014.
- A. Lenert, D. M. Bierman, Y. Nam, W. R. Chan, I. Celanovic, M. Soljacic, E. N. Wang, A nanophotonic solar thermophotovoltaic device, Nature Nanotechnology, 9, p. 126-130, 2014.
Highlighted by Nature: 10.1038/505589d
News and Views by Prof. Shanhui Fan: 10.1038/nnano.2014.9 - Y. Nam, Y.X. Yeng, A. Lenert, P. Bermel, I. Celanovic, M. Soljacic, E.N. Wang, Solar thermophotovoltaic energy conversion systems with two-dimensional tantalum photonic crystal absorbers and emitters, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 122, p. 287-296, 2014.
- A. Lenert, E.N. Wang, Optimization of Nanofluid Volumetric Receivers for Solar Thermal Energy Conversion, Solar Energy, 86(1), p. 253-265, 2012.
- A. Lenert, Y. Nam, E.N. Wang, Heat Transfer Fluids, Annual Review of Heat Transfer: Solar Thermal Challenges. 15, p. 93-129, 2012
Media
Press
- MIT NEWS: "Hot new solar cell" (David L. Chandler, MIT News Office - May 23, 2016)
- Forbes Magazine: Forbes 30 Under 30 - Science (Jan 4th, 2016)
- Scientific American: "New Hybrid Solar Device Exploits the Best of Both Worlds" (Geoffrey Giller - Jan 30, 2014)
- Materials360: "A Step Closer to Realizing a High Efficiency Solar Thermophotovoltaic Device" (Joseph Bennington-Castro, MRS - Jan 30, 2014)
- IEEE Spectrum: "Thermophotovoltaic Device Has Potential to Reach Huge Solar Efficiencies" (Dave Levitan - Jan 20, 2014)
- MIT NEWS: "How to tap the sun’s energy through heat as well as light" (David L. Chandler, MIT News Office - Jan 19, 2014)
- MPC Spotlight: "Enhacing Solar Cells with Heat" (Denis Paiste, Materials Processing Center - Nov 7, 2013)
- greentechsolar: "Solar Fridges and Low-Sulfur Jet Fuels: Live From MIT's Energy Prize" (Yoni Cohen - May 5, 2011)
- MIT Energy Initiative: "Introducing Andrej Lenert, Ormat-MIT Energy Fellow" (Deborah Halber - February 26, 2009)
Video
- Harnessing the Full Potential of the Sun (John Freidah, MIT MechE - Jan 19, 2014)