- Fundamental energy conversion and transport mechanisms from nanoscale to macroscale;
- Photomolecular effect and light-matter interactions;
- Desalination and waste water treatment;
- Air-conditioning and heat pumps;
- Solids and liquids with high and low thermal conductivity
2004-present Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, MIT.
2013-2018 Head, Mechanical Engineering Department, MIT
2001-2004 Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, MIT.
1996-2001 Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California at Los Angeles.
1993-1997 Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke Unive
Book
Gang Chen, Nanoscale Energy Transfer and Conversion, Oxford Press, 2005.
Articles
1. Y. Tu, J. Zhou, S. Lin, M. AlShrah, X. Zhao, and G Chen, “Plausible Photomolecular Effect Leading to Water Evaporation Exceeding Thermal Limit,” PNAS, 120, e2312751120, 2023.
2. J. Shin, G.A. Gamage, Z. Ding, K. Chen, F. Tian, X. Qian, J. Zhou, H. Lee, J. Zhou, L. Shi, T. Nguyen, F. Han, M. Li, D. Broido, A. Schmidt, Z.F. Ren, G. Chen, “High ambipolar mobility in cubic boron arsenide”, Science, 377, 437-440, 2022.
3. S. Huberman, R. A. Duncan, K. Chen, B. Song, V. Chiloyan, Z. Ding, A.A. Maznev, G. Chen, K. A. Nelson, “Observation of second sound in graphite at temperatures above 100 K,” Science, 364, 375-379, 2019.
4. F. Tian, B. Song, X. Chen, N.K. Ravichandran4, Y. Lv, K. Chen, S. Sullivan, J. Kim, Y. Zhou, T.-H. Liu, M. Goni, Z. Ding, J. Sun, G.A. Gamage, H. Sun, H. Ziyaee, S. Huyan, L.i Deng, J. Zhou, A.J. Schmidt, S. Chen, C.-W. Chu, P.Y. Huang, D. Broido, L. Shi, G. Chen, Z.F. Ren, “Unusual High Thermal Conductivity in Boron Arsenide Bulk Crystals”, Science, 361, 582-585, 2018.
5. Y. Hu, L. Zeng, A.J. Minnich, M.S. Dresselhaus, G. Chen, “Spectral Mapping of Thermal Conductivity through Nanoscale Ballistic Transport,” Nature Nanotechnology, 10, 701–706, 2015.
6. M. N. Luckyanova, J. Garg, K. Esfarjani, A. Jandl, M.T. Bulsara, A.J. Schmidt, A.J. Minnich, M.S. Dresselhaus, E. A. Fitzgerald, and G. Chen, “Coherent Phonon Heat Conduction in Superlattices,” Science, 338, 936-939, 2012.
7. S. Shen, A. Narayanaswamy, and G. Chen, “Surface phonon polaritons mediated energy transfer between nanoscale gaps,” Nano Letters, 9, 2909-2913, 2009.
8. S. Shen, A. Henry, J. Tong, R. Zheng, and G. Chen, “Polyethylene Nanofibers with Very High Thermal Conductivities,” Nature Nanotechnology, 5, 251-255, 2010.
9. B. Poudel, Q. Hao, Y. Ma, Y. Lan, A. Minnich, B. Yu, X. Yan, D.Z. Wang, A. Muto, D. Vashaee, X. Chen, J. Liu, M.S. Dresselhaus, G. Chen, and Z.F. Ren, “High Thermoelectric Performance of Nanostructured Bismuth Antimony Telluride Bulk Alloys,” Science, 320, 634-638, 2008.
10. G. Chen, “Thermal Conductivity and Ballistic Phonon Transport in Cross-Plane Direction of Superlattices,” Physical Review B., 57, 14958-14973, 1998.
2024 Steven Chu Medal, Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering
2024 American Courage Award by Asian American Advancing Justice
2023 Member, National Academy of Sciences
2022 Physics World Top 10 Breakthrough of the Year: c-BAs
2019 ASME Frank Kreith Energy Award
2018 Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
2016 Eringen Medal and Symposium, Society of Engineering Sicence,
2014 Scientific American: World Changing Ideas (battery for waste heat recovery)
2014 Academician, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
2014 Outstanding Alumni Award, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
2014 Nukiyama Memorial Award, Heat Transfer Society of Japan
2012 Scientific American: World Changing Ideas (directional solvent extraction)
2011 Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellences in Mentoring and Advising, MIT
2010 Member, National Academy of Engineering
2009 Carl Richard Soderberg Professor of Power Engineering, MIT
2008 R&D 100 Award for High Performance Thermoelectric Materials
2008 ASME Heat Transfer Memorial Award, Science Category.
2006 Warren and Towneley Rohsenow Professorship, MIT
2002 Guggenheim Fellowship.
1994 National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award
