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Evelyn Wang Appointed as Director of the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy

On Thursday, the United States Senate confirmed the appointment of Evelyn Wang, Ford Professor of Engineering and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as director of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve as director of ARPA-E. I want to thank President Biden and Secretary Granholm for their confidence in my abilities for nominating me for this important role. -E and look forward to helping bring innovative energy technologies that strengthen our nation’s economy and national security to market,” says Wang.

An internationally recognized leader in applying nanotechnology to heat transfer, Wang has developed a number of high efficiency, clean energy and clean water solutions. Wang received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in 2000. After receiving her master’s degree and PhD from Stanford University, she returned to MIT as a faculty member in 2007. In 2018, he was named department head of MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.

As director of ARPA-E, Wang will advance the agency’s mission to fund and support early-stage energy research that has the potential to impact energy production, storage and use. The agency helps researchers commercialize innovative technologies that, according to ARPA-E, “have the potential to fundamentally improve US economic prosperity, national security, and environmental well-being.”

“I am deeply grateful to the Senate for confirming Dr. Evelyn Wang to serve as director of DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement today. “Now more than ever, we rely on ARPA-E to support early-stage energy technologies that will help us combat climate change and strengthen American competitiveness. Dr. Wang’s experience with groundbreaking research and expertise will ensure that ARPA-e continues its role as a leading engine of innovation and climate action. I am deeply grateful for Dr. Wang’s desire to serve the American people, and we look forward to welcoming him to DOE. Very excited for.

Wang has served as the principal investigator of MIT’s Device Research Lab. He and his team have developed several devices that offer solutions to many of the world’s energy and water challenges. These devices include an aerogel that greatly improves window insulation, a high-efficiency solar-powered desalination system, a radiative cooling device that requires no electricity, and a system that makes water potable even in dry conditions. pulls water out of the air.

Throughout his career, Wang has been honored with numerous awards and honors. In 2021, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Gustus L. Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 and was named an ASME Fellow in 2015. After mentoring and mentoring hundreds of students at MIT, Wang was awarded an MIT Commendation. For the Care Award for his commitment to mentoring graduate students. She has also served as co-chair of the inaugural Rising Stars in Mechanical Engineering program to encourage female graduate students and postdocs considering future careers in academia.

As department chief, Wang has led and implemented a variety of strategic research, educational and community initiatives in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Along with other departmental leaders, he focused on unprecedented research advances that help address the many “grand challenges” facing our world. They work closely with faculty and teaching staff to develop educational offerings that prepare the next generation of mechanical engineers for the workforce. He also advocated for new initiatives to make the department a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community for students, faculty and staff.

Wang, who is stepping down as department head immediately in light of her confirmation, is taking a temporary leave of absence as a faculty member at MIT while she is in that role. Ananth Chandrakasan, dean of the MIT School of Engineering, will share plans to search for his replacement with the mechanical engineering community in the coming days.

Once sworn in, Wang will officially assume her role as director of ARPA-E.