Interfacial Thermal and Transport Laboratory (ITTL)

MISSION: To advance fundamental scientific understanding and conduct use-inspired research for developing sustainable technologies, enhancing quality of life, and educating workforce with technical expertise and social responsibility in the Anthropocene era. 

VISION: To be regarded as a leading laboratory in interfacial phenomena, dedicated to generating knowledge and products with lasting impact. 

GOAL: To translate nature-inspired fundamental inquiries into use-inspired solutions. 

APPROACH: Technical approach integrates hands-on experiments, physics-based modeling, and data-driven AI techniques complemented by a human-centered approach that cultivates a diverse and inclusive environment for multidisciplinary scientists, emphasizing critical thinking, safe laboratory practices, ethical conduct, and professional development.  

ACTIVITIES: Nature inspired interfacial engineering of soft and hard materials through process-structure-property correlations. Use- inspired applications of functional materials thermally driven processes by elucidating mechanisms of heat transfer and multiphase flows with applications spanning energy, environmental, and biomedical fields.  Data-inspired machine learning techniques are employed to extract insights from experimental and simulation data, enabling predictive modeling and optimization of material properties and interfacial thermal transport phenomena.

Dissemination activities include- 

Publishing in high quality peer–reviewed journals

Presentation of work at regional and national conferences

Outreach to K-12 students and teachers for hand on learning experiences

HONORS

Editorial Board, Nature Scientific Reports (2023- Present)

Area Chair of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum, American Institute for Chemical Engineers (AIChE) (2020-Present)

Alternate Councilor, American Chemical Society Toledo Section

Fellow, 2025-2026 Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) Program

Edith Rathbun Outreach and Engagement Excellence Award     

Women of Toledo STEM Mentor and Youth Chairperson