Education:
- BS 1995 – Brigham Young University. Major Mechanical Engineering. Minors: Mathematics and Portuguese.
- M.S. 1997 – Brigham Young University Major: Mechanical Engineering. Thesis Title: “Active Acoustic Control of a Rijke-tube Reactor and its General Effects on Combustion.”
- Ph.D. 2002 – University of Florida Major: Mechanical Engineering. Minor: Environmental Engineering Science. Dissertation Title: “Enhancing the Steam-Reforming Process with Acoustics: An Investigation for Fuel Cell Vehicle Applications.”
Background:
Professor Paul Erickson of the University of California, Davis is a specialist in thermal science and renewable power technology. He has pioneered efforts to enhance heat and mass transfer in reacting flows by flow impingement and disturbance techniques and has experience in both theoretical and applied energy research. He currently is the director of the UC Davis Energy Research Laboratory where he and his research team are striving to advance the engineering body of knowledge regarding energy conversion from primary energy sources, gas to liquid technologies, endothermic fuels and the utilization of novel fuels in both combustion and electrochemical systems. Professor Erickson has taught as a regular instructor at several institutions including Brigham Young University, the University of Florida, The Renewable Energy Science Program in Akureyri, Iceland, and at the University of California at Davis. As a Full Professor and tenured member of the mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty, Professor Erickson both executes research and regularly teaches courses in thermodynamics, advanced energy conversion, and instrumentation at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He occasionally performs engineering consulting work in the field of energy conversion for both industry and governments around the world. He is a devoted husband and father of six children and enjoys photography, backpacking, bicycling, and the sport of fencing.
