Saniya LeBlanc

Professor, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
George Washington University

Abstract

Tackling the energy sector’s pressing technological and workforce needs requires a multi-pronged approach. I will discuss our research at the intersection of energy conversion materials and additive manufacturing as well as large-scale energy systems with integrated renewable power and storage. First, I will focus on thermoelectric power generators that convert waste heat into electricity; additive manufacturing could enable new architectures, material-to-device integration, and large-area processing. I will describe our progress in laser-based additive manufacturing of thermoelectric materials and discuss the link between materials, manufacturing, and system-level considerations for thermoelectric generators with a focus on hypersonic vehicle applications. Second, I will highlight our work in multi-technology energy systems where we simulate multi-building systems with combined heat and power, renewable generation, and electricity and thermal storage. In a new project, we extend this work to Navy ships to provide insights about the impact of new energy resources and systems. 

Biography

Saniya LeBlanc is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at the George Washington University. Her research goals are to create next-generation energy solutions leveraging advanced materials and manufacturing techniques. Previously, she was a scientist at a startup company developing energy conversion technologies. Prior to pursuing a PhD, she was a high school teacher through Teach for America. Dr. LeBlanc obtained a PhD and MS in mechanical engineering with a minor in materials science at Stanford University. She was a Churchill Scholar at University of Cambridge where she received an MPhil in engineering, and she has a BS in mechanical engineering with a minor in French from Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2018, the American Society of Engineering Education named Dr. LeBlanc one of its “20 Under 40” high-achieving researchers and educators, and she received the National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2020.  

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