Purdue University Garimella
This proposal seeks funding for a third five-year term (Phase III) of the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center at Purdue University, the Cooling Technologies Research Center, which started operations in 2002. The Center addresses research and development needs of industries in the area of high-performance heat removal from compact spaces.
The uniqueness of the proposed Center draws from its strong focus on heat transfer technologies and related thermal management issues. The research approach relies heavily on experimental investigations, backed by theoretical and numerical analysis. The Center draws participants from the Schools of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics and Chemistry at Purdue University, who contribute complimentary competencies in heat transfer, micrrofluidics, microfabrication, nanotechnology, refrigeration, computational techniques, mechantronics, controls, acoustics, and diagnostics and measurements. The Center continues to pursue a research agenda that is of immediate relevance to its industry members, while focusing on the fundamental challenges in each technology. The Center has come to be recognized globally for its leadership in this area, and was awarded the 2011 Alexander Schwarzkopf Award for Technological Innovation.
Based on the outcomes the center has realized during its first 10 years of operation, Phase III renewal of the CTRC will continue to produce research outcomes that support the needs of industry sectors designing and using high performance electronics. The Center's strong multi-disciplinary culture promotes broad impacts on education and diversity. Exposure to the Center ecosystem ensures that tomorrows research leaders understand the team-based, problem solving skills needed for successful cross-disciplinary research. The Center is committed to continually and proactively recruiting, nurturing and mentoring women and under-represented groups, at the graduate and undergraduate levels, during their pursuit of academic excellence. The Center benefits from, and adds to, the multiple, strong diversity and outreach programs housed at Purdue University.
