George Nnanna

George Nnanna

Professor
College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Office
EB 3.100B

Research Overview

Dr. George Nnanna's research focuses on several advanced topics, including:

  • Characterization of produced water using state-of-the-art tools like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS).
  • Development of plasmonic metasurface nanostructures for solar energy harvesting, steam generation, and water purification.
  • Innovations in micro-heat exchangers, mini-refrigerators for electronics cooling, thermoelectric applications, and HVAC&R systems.
  • Pioneering nanotechnology-based renewable energy solutions for water treatment, aimed at the reuse and recycling of produced and wastewater.

Accomplishments

Dr. Nnanna has secured 44 externally funded research grants, totaling $11.5 million as either Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI. His scholarly contributions include:

  • 70 technical articles published in refereed journals and conference proceedings, including Nature Nanotechnology.
  • Over 1,500 citations.
  • Five U.S. Patent Awards and two pending U.S. Patent applications.
  • Numerous accolades, including Best Poster and Design Awards from NSF at ASME-IMECE and ASHRAE, as well as 12 university-wide research awards.

Supervision and Leadership

  • Dr. Nnanna has supervised 30 graduate students, including Master’s, Ph.D. candidates, and Post-doctoral Research Fellows.
  • He serves as an ABET Program Evaluator, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and a recognized Fulbright Specialist.

Professional Roles

  • Editorial Board Member and Associate Editor for the Heat Transfer in Engineering Journal since 2015.
  • Founding Director of Purdue University Water Institute and the Texas Water and Energy Institute.
  • Member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Produced Water Optimization Stakeholder Board.
  • ASME Fellow.