March 3, 2023
By Ian Sargent

Peter Loutzenhiser, associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been named a Fellow by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Fellows are a select group of ASME members recognized for their significant achievements in their field of engineering.

“I’m honored to be named an ASME Fellow,” Loutzenhiser said. “ASME is the premier society for mechanical engineers in the world, and it sets the stage for cutting edge development in industry, academia, and research. I have been privileged to work in the ASME Solar Energy Division within ASME, and I have been amazed at the level of research and development that is displayed.”

Loutzenhiser, an ASME member since 2009, joined the faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology as an assistant professor in May 2012 and currently chairs the Heat Transfer, Combustion and Energy Systems research area group in the Woodruff School.

Loutzenhiser’s research centers on storing sunlight in a chemical form and currently he’s examining two solar pathways for synthesis gas production, which would convert intermittent sunlight into a storable and dispatchable form.

“The focus of my research,” Loutzenhiser, said, “has the potential to change the landscape for renewable energy by developing fuels that are compatible with current transportation infrastructure, storing heat for electricity production outside of diurnal periods, and producing renewable chemical commodities.”

Loutzenhiser received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering while working at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research in Dübendorf, Switzerland. Previously, Loutzenhiser was a lecturer and research associate at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland.

ASME was founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and is an international professional organization serving the engineering community. ASME enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across engineering disciplines, while also promoting the role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards are used globally, while publications, conferences, and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing the art, science and practice of multidisciplinary engineering.