Two Oklahoma State University–Tulsa faculty members recently received grants from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) to fund their engineering research projects.
Dr. Ranji Vaidyanathan, Varnadow professor of materials science and engineering, and Dr. Daryoosh Vashaee, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, both in the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, each received nearly $90,000 from OCAST.
Vaidyanathan was awarded $89,896 for his project, “Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices for Structural Components,” to develop thermoelectric devices using thick-film nanostructured thermoelectric materials. Vashaee received $89,873 to develop a process to harvest both heat and light by exposing water containing sodium chloride and a bio-compatible additive sensitive to visible light, a project called “Scalable Rapid Solar Hydrogen Production via Photo-Bio-Chemical Hydrolysis.”
Vaidyanathan and Vashaee were among the seven applied research scientists who were awarded $1.35 million from OCAST this year. OCAST is a state agency established to foster innovation in existing and developing businesses in Oklahoma. They administer funds to help universities, foundations and businesses with cutting-edge research that will benefit Oklahoma’s economy.