Fuel Cells, Clean Energy, and Sustainability Research Team
Current Members
Dr. Yanhai Du, Associate Professor at College of Aeronautics & Engineering, Team Leader and Principal Investigator (PI) of Kent State University's Fuel Cell Program, is a material scientist and an internationally recognized scholar in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) research and development. He has more than 20 years of extensive R&D and manufacturing experiences in SOFC technology and ceramic product development, and 10 years of experience in academic settings. His research interests include fuel cells, energy conversion and storage, additive manufacturing and sustainable systems. Dr. has received over $1.5 million in grants for various clean energy research projects in the past six years. Dr. has authored/coauthored over 130 technical publications, including 11 patents, in key areas of SOFC design, materials, fabrication, characterization, and operation.
Samuel Fatoba holds a doctoral degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa. He holds B.Eng. degree (Mechanical Engineering) and Master’s degrees in both Mechanical Engineering & Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Dr Fatoba research interests include surface engineering, additive manufacturing, corrosion mitigation, modeling and simulation, structure/property relationships, materials characterization and development, mechanical properties of structural alloys, composite materials, and laser based surface engineering of metallic alloys for enhanced service performance. He has supervised over 60 undergraduate’s projects, 8 master’s projects and co-supervised 4 doctoral students. His research experience has culminated in publications of over 70 articles in peer-reviewed Journals, conference papers and several oral presentations in both local and international conferences.
Hai Feng is a graduate research assistant, and a graduate student. He has a master's degree of Electrical and Computer Engineering. At Kent State University, his research is the current collector of micro tubular solid oxide fuel cells. He is also supervising undergraduate students on senior design project. Meanwhile, he is developing and executing laboratory safety programs of safe operations of the lab.
Theo Woodson is a graduate research assistant and student pursuing the Master of Technology degree with a focus in Sustainable Systems. He received a B.S. in Technology from KSU and has been working in the Energy and Sustainability Laboratory since it was started in 2015. Theo has been managing the Lab under the guidance of Dr. Du since 2016 and is currently working on a NASA Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project in conjunction with his KSU master’s program. The work involves utilization of the Freeze Casting technique to manufacture and optimize tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (T-SOFC) anode supports for increased single cell performance. His academic interests include SOFC technology, advanced SOFC fabrication and characterization techniques, applied engineering and design, sustainable energy systems and energy and power applications.
Tejas Dudhade was a graduate student in the Technology Management program. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. His research is focused on the development of a universal tubular SOFC testing fixture and Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics. He is also a member of leading organizations in engineering management and quality engineering including the American Engineering Management (ASEM), American Society for Quality (ASQ), and Engineering Management Students Association (EMSA).
Angela Deibel is an undergraduate student, double majoring in Marketing and Engineering. Her minors include Environmental Sustainability and Fine Arts. In the summer of 2016, she performed an internship at Dr. Du’s fuel cell lab, and was the catalyst for the student-led project of creating a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV). She has been involved in similar sustainability projects, such as fundraising for Tiny Homes.
Kyle Angermeier is an undergraduate student majoring in Applied Engineering with a concentration in Mechatronics. He is also minoring in Sustainability. He interned in Dr. Du’s fuel cell lab during the summer of 2018, researching fuel cells and fuel cell systems. He continues to work independently on his studies and expresses interest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and control systems research.
Donna Payravi is an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Systems Interaction and minor degrees in User Experience Design as well as Nonprofit Studies. Donna started working in Dr. Du’s fuel cell lab in Fall 2017 as a literary editor, and has continued that role alongside her position as a teaching assistant for an Introduction to Sustainability course taught by Dr. Du.