Energy Research Lab Lab Members Projects
The following are current and past students that are/were affiliated with Dr. Erickson as their thesis/dissertation or research chair and the Hydrogen Production and Utilization Laboratory/Energy Research Laboratory. (First employer after leaving the laboratory noted in parentheses)
MAE=UC Davis Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dept.
TTP=UC Davis Transportation Technology and Policy Graduate Group
RES=Renewable Energy Science Program Akureyri, Iceland
- David D. Davieau (MS MAE) Thesis: An Analysis of Space Velocity and Aspect Ratio Parameters in Steam-Reforming Hydrogen Production Reactors. Graduated 2004 (Lockheed Martin Sunnyvale, CA) Recipient of the ITS Outstanding Thesis Award 2004.
- Glenn Snyder (MS MAE) Masters Plan 2 Graduated (HVAC Design, Fairfield, CA)
- Matthew Forrest (MS TTP) Thesis: An Evaluation of the Nexa Power Module as the Basis of a Fuel Cell Powered Auxiliary Power Unit. Graduated 2004 (DaimlerChrysler, West Sacramento, CA)
- Jonathan Otero (MS MAE) Thesis: Quantifying the Limiting Mechanisms in Methanol-Steam Reformation. Graduated 2005 (BP, Chicago, Il)
- Michael Beerman (MS MAE) Thesis: Improving the Transient Response of Steam Reformers Through the Use of Acoustic Waves. Graduated 2005 (Chevron, Houston, TX)
- Bryce Dudgeon (MS MAE) Masters Plan 2. Graduated (Siemens Rail Division, Sacramento, CA)
- J. Lars Dorr (MS MAE) Thesis: Methanol autothermal reformation : oxygen-to-carbon ratio and reaction progression. Graduated (US Navy Power Systems Division, Honolulu, HI)
- Taylor Roche (MS MAE) Thesis: Correlating PEM Fuel Cell Degradation Through Neural Network Modeling Techniques. Graduated 2007 (DaimlerChrysler, West Sacramento, CA)
- Zachary Zoller (MS TTP) Thesis: Acoustic and Vibration Analysis of Transit Fuel Cell versus Conventional Internal Combustion Engine Transit Buses. Graduated 2006 (Blue Oak Energy, Davis, CA)
- Hyung Chul (Hank) Yoon (MS MAE and PhD MAE) Dissertation: Comparison of Steam and Autothermal Reforming of Methanol for Fuel cell Applications. Graduated 2008 (Swiss Federal Technical Institute, Zurich, Switzerland)
- Chang-Hsien (Jim) Liao (MS MAE and PhD MAE) Dissertation: Hydrogen production enhancement and the effect of passive mixing using flow disturbers in a steam-reforming reactor. Graduated 2008 (UC Davis as Post-doctoral Scholar)
- Matthew Caldwell (MS TTP and PhD TTP) Dissertation: Reformation of Hydrous Mixed Alcohols Derived from Thermochemical Biomass Conversion as a Renewable Distributed Hydrogen Pathway. Graduated 2008 (REII, Sacramento, CA)
- Anthony Montevirgen (MS MAE) Thesis: Acceleration of the transient response of automotive catalytic converters a study of the use of hydrogen in active light-off techniques. Graduated 2008 (Apple Computers, San Jose, CA)
- Andrew Shabeshevich (MS MAE) Thesis: Analysis of Powertrain Design on Effective Waste Heat Recovery from Conventional and Hybrid Electric Vehicles. Graduated 2008 (IAV Automotive Research, Ann Arbor, MI)
- Jonathan Woolley (MS MAE) Thesis: Hydrogen production from autothermal reformation of ethanol iso-octane mixtures: Experimental validation of chemical equilibrium analysis and the effects of dilution. Graduated 2008 (Energy Efficiency Center, UC Davis)
- Ziv Lang (MS MAE) Thesis: A comparison of hydrogen-air, methane-air, and hydrogen-enriched methane-air mixtures used to maintain automotive catalyst temperatures. Graduated 2008 (California Air Resources Board Sacramento, CA)
- Kurt Lawrence Kornbluth (Ph.D. MAE) Dissertation: Hydrogen enrichment of landfill gas for enhanced combustion in internal-combustion reciprocating engines. Graduated 2008(UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center, Davis, CA)
- Hong-Yue (Ray) Tang (Ph.D. MAE) Dissertation: Reactor controller design for steam and autothermal reforming for fuel cell applications. Graduated 2009 (Lecturer, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA)
- Todd Skinner (MS MAE) Thesis: Using hydrogen to maintain catalyst temperature on automotive oxidation catalysts. Graduated (Oorja Protonics, Fremont, CA)
- Ryan Gemlich (MS MAE) Thesis: Reduction of Hydrocarbons in the Cold Start in an Alcohol Burning Internal Combustion Engine. Graduated 2010 (UC San Diego PhD program)
- David Vernon (MS MAE and PhD MAE) Thesis 2006: Understand the Effects of Reactor Geometry and Scaling through Temperature Profiles in Steam-Reforming Hydrogen Production Reactors. Dissertation 2010: Hydrogen Enrichment and Thermochemical Recuperation in Internal Combustion Engines: An Investigation of Dilution and Inlet Temperature Effects in the Autothermal Reformation of Ethanol. Graduated 2010. (Assistant Professor, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA) Recipient of the ITS Outstanding Thesis Award 2007.
- William Marin (MS MAE) Thesis: An Experimental Investigation of Hydrogen Fumigation in a Small Direct-Injection Diesel Engine During Part-Load Operation. Graduated 2010 (Itron, Davis, CA)
- Mitchell Samson (MS RES Iceland Program) Graduated 2010 (Ford Motor Company)
- Jesse Remillard (MS MAE) Masters Plan 2 Graduated 2011 (Energy & Resource Solutions, Augusta, Maine)
- Jason Greenwood (MS MAE) Thesis: Hydrogen Enrichment for the Extension of the Lean Limit and Enhanced Combustion in an Alcohol-Fueled Spark-Ignition Engine. Graduated 2011 (LGR, Carlsbad, CA)
- David Kashevaroff (MS MAE) Thesis: Hybrid mode autothermal reformation of methanol: Initial investigation of short contact time methods. Graduated 2011 (Brass Engineering International, San Ramon, CA)
- Ian Sit (MS MAE) Thesis: A Comparative Study of Heat Transfer Enhancement Using Flow Impingement in Steam-Reforming Reactors. Graduated 2011 (Penumbra Inc., Alameda, CA)
- Eddie Jordan (Ph.D. MAE) Dissertation: Hydrogen Enrichment in Internal Combustion Engines: An Investigation of Performance and Emissions using Hydrogen-Ethanol Bi-fueling. Graduated 2011 (IEC Renewables, LLC Sacramento, CA)
- Karan Jhaveri (PhD MAE) PELP (Electric Vehicles International, Stockton, CA)
- Shahla Mammadova (MS MAE) Thesis: Heat transfer enhancements in packed beds with symmetrical heating using flow diversion. Graduated 2012 (Anvil Corporation, Concord, CA)
- Jeff Merrill (MS MAE) Thesis: A Quantitative Evaluation of a Serial Hybridization Architecture for Selected Watercraft Applications. Graduated 2012 (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA)
- Anant Singh (MS MAE) Thesis: The effect of passive mixing on pressure drop and oxygen mass fraction using opposing channel flow field design in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell. Graduated 2012 (Amy’s Kitchen , Petaluma, CA)
- Aaron Sanders (MS MAE) Thesis: Control Strategies in Light Fuel Cell Charge Sustaining Hybrid Electric Vehicles. Graduated 2012 (Blue Oak Energy, Davis, California)
- Karthik Ganesh (MS MAE) Thesis: Modeling the reaction kinetics of a hydrogen generator onboard a fuel cell – electric hybrid motorcycle. Graduated 2012 (EnerVault, Sunnyvale, CA)
- Magdalena Brum (MS MAE) Thesis: A comparative study of district and individual thermal energy systems providing heating, cooling, and domestic hot water for low-energy residential community applications. Graduated 2013 (Energy Efficiency Center UC Davis, Davis, CA)
- Kyle Gaiser (MS MAE) Thesis: An Experimental Investigation of Design Parameters for Pico-Hydro Turgo Turbines Using a Response Surface Methodology. Graduated 2013 (Sandia National Lab, Livermore, CA)
- Kevin Uy (MS MAE) Thesis: An Exploration of Flow Deflection and Heated Length for Pelletized and Structured Catalysts in Steam-Reforming Reactors. Graduated 2014 (California Energy Commission, Sacramento, CA)
- Isaac Silva (MS MAE) Thesis: Onboard Hydrogen Generation for a Spark-Ignition Engine via Thermochemical Recuperation. Graduated 2014 (Performance Structures Inc., Oakland, CA)
- Arjun Tejaswi (MS MAE) Thesis: Fuel Cell Cathode Side Air Supply Contamination: Comparison of Prevention Strategies and their Viability. Graduated 2014. (California Energy Commission, Sacramento, CA)
- Fethia Amrouche (University of Algiers PhD) Dissertation: Hydrogen gasoline mixtures in a wankel Engine (In French) Graduated 2014 (Hydrogen Renewable Energy Research Division, Center for Development of Renewable Energies (CDER) Bouzaréah, Algiers, Algeria)
- Nadia Richards (Ph.D. MAE) Dissertation: Hydrogen Production Enhancement Using a Stratified Catalyst Bed in Reforming Systems. Graduated 2016 (California State University Sacramento, Sacramento , CA)
- Edgar Necoechea (MS MAE) Thesis: Investigation of Heat Transfer and Catalyst Degradation in Methanol Autothermal Stratified Catalyst Reformation. Graduated 2016 (California Energy Commission, Sacramento CA)
- Justin Hwang (PhD MAE) Dissertation: Blowout and Emissions Characteristics Evaluation of Methane Steam Reformate Gas. Graduated 2017 (California Energy Commission, Sacramento CA)
- Steve Wirya (PhD MAE) Dissertation: Graduated 2018
- Steven Wong ( MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2018
- Matt Cooper (MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2018
- Brian Noland (PhD MAE) Dissertation: Graduated 2019
- Raphael Issac (PhD TTP) Dissertation: Graduated 2019
- Mazen Daher (MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2020
- Garrett Robertson (MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2020
- Jennifer Gin (MS MAE) Project: Graduated 2021
- Kellen Ochi (MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2022
- Michael Horton (MS MAE) Thesis: Graduated 2022
Current Students
Siva Gunda (PhD Candidate MAE)
Chibuike Agba (PhD Candidate MAE)
Armando Gomez-Hernandez (PhD Student MAE)
Zane Hays (PhD Student MAE)
Shannon Andrew (MS Student EGG)