A shared curiosity.

Mr. Milad Mozafarifard joined our research team in fall 2021, focusing on thermal transport in materials under laser irradiation. He earned his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from IAU and his M.Sc. in Energy Conversion from SCU in 2011 and 2017, respectively. Prior to joining us, he worked as an independent researcher, publishing in peer-reviewed journals like IJHMT, ICHMT, SE, and HMT. He is also a reviewer for International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer and the Journal of Mechanical Engineering. Milad won the 2nd-place award in the ME Graduate Student Poster Contest in both 2022 and 2023 at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Mr. Milad Nasiri is now pursuing his Ph.D. degree in the department. He received his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (Thermofluids and Renewable Energy) from the Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran in 2019. He also earned a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering-Manufacturing from Semnan University, Semnan, Iran in 2015. He likes playing football, traveling, hiking, watching movies, and listening to music while having free time.

Mr. John Crosby is currently a master's student in our group. He joined our group as an undergraduate researcher in Spring 2023. He aims to explore thermal conductivity in multilayer graphene and graphite to improve thermal management for instruments used in NASA’s space missions. After completing his undergraduate degree, John hopes to pursue a graduate degree in mechanical engineering. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, swimming, and weightlifting.

Mr. Evan Wallace Doe is a senior undergraduate researcher who joined our team in the spring of 2024. He is currently working towards his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. He is working on exploring thermal transport in metamaterials with the support of the Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Scholarship. Evan Wallace has plans to pursue a graduate degree in mechanical engineering after completing his undergraduate studies. In his leisure time, he enjoys activities such as mountain biking, snowboard mountaineering, camping, and traveling.

I graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in the spring of 2024 with my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering while conducting undergraduate research regarding the computational modeling of advanced materials. I went to work for the Air Force as a mechanical engineer, Palace Acquire Intern, at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a year. In that time, I gained industry experience but learned that I was more interested in the previous research I was conducting. I am now back as a mechanical engineering student in Dr. Yan Wang’s research lab with plans to obtain a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

I am currently a sophomore pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno.

As a PREP awardee, I was introduced to computational science through research opportunities involving Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (NEMD) simulations under Dr. Wang, where I developed an interest in studying the thermal properties of materials and their potential technological applications. Additionally, I conduct undergraduate research under Dr. Floris van Breugel, studying fruit fly trajectories and their potential applications to autonomous systems.

My academic and research experiences have strengthened my interest in computational modeling, materials science, and sustainable technologies. Ultimately, I aspire to apply my chemical engineering background to advancements in space exploration, with the long-term goal of contributing to research and technological development at NASA.

Theodore "Teddy" Maranets completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in May 2026. He joined our group in fall 2021. He completed his bachelor's degree in Physics at Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA, in 2021. In his free time, he enjoys swimming and reading science fiction and fantasy novels. Honors & Awards: Best Presentation Award, HTD K-9 Session, ASME IMECE 2023; Best Poster Award (3rd place), Micro-Nano Forum, ASME IMECE 2023; Best Poster Award (1st place), ME Graduate Student Poster Contest, University of Nevada, Reno; Best Poster Award (1st place), Micro-Nano Forum, ASME IMECE 2022.

Haoran Cui completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in August 2026. He joined our group in fall 2021. He completed his B.Eng in Project Cost from Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, China in 2017, and subsequently earned his M.Eng in Mechanics from Beijing University of Technology (BJUT) in 2020. Apart from his academic pursuits, he enjoys playing basketball and has a passion for music.