The University of Utah Department of Mechanical Engineering is pleased to welcome Dr. Roseanne Warren as the department’s newest faculty member. Dr. Warren’s research group, the Advanced Energy Innovations Lab, is focused on developing new nanomaterial systems for sustainable energy storage and generation.
In particular, the group is working on improving the energy storage capability of supercapacitors – a higher power density form of batteries. “Supercapacitors are electrochemical energy storage devices with fast charging times and long cycle lifetimes compared to conventional batteries,” explains Dr. Warren. “Supercapacitors can fully charge and discharge in seconds, and can undergo up to a million recharge cycles before losing their energy storage capability, making them ideal for applications in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics.”
Supercapacitors store energy by surface charging, and nanomaterials provide high surface areas for increased charge storage. Dr. Warren’s current research is looking to advance our fundamental understanding of the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors, and develop new measurement techniques for characterizing charge storage at the nanoscale.
In the future, Dr. Warren is looking to expand this research direction by discovering ways to improve the life-cycle sustainability of supercapacitors, batteries, and other electrochemical energy storage devices. “With the growing need for energy storage in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and portable electronics, it’s important that we consider not just performance, but also the overall sustainability of energy storage systems,” says Dr. Warren.
Before arriving at the U, Dr. Warren obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 2008 and 2009, respectively. She then worked for several years at an engineering consulting firm, earning her designation as a Professional Engineer. Eager to pursue a career in teaching and research, Dr. Warren completed her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2015.
This semester, Warren is teaching ME 4000, the first of two senior undergraduate capstone design courses. She is looking forward to working with the student design teams on their capstone projects, and incorporating her professional engineering experience in assignments and classroom learning.
“It’s great to be able to bring real-world experiences into engineering education whenever possible,” says Warren.
Outside of her work, Warren enjoys running, swimming, gardening, and spending time outdoors. She adds, “I’m really looking forward to exploring the beautiful state of Utah.”
To learn more about Dr. Warren’s research visit her Advanced Energy Innovations Laboratory.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah is committed to providing students with broad-based, rigorous and progressive education. By combining state-of-the-art facilities with renowned faculty, the department provides an education that gives students the necessary skills to become the next generation of innovators.