Reshaping The NSF Thermal Transport Processes Program

José L. Lage, PhD

Abstract: US Congress’ mandate to fund technology development is evident in the yearly budget evolution of some NSF divisions of the engineering directorate. This evolution transforms itself in an opportunity and a paradigm shift for academia, particularly engineering. It seems imperative for the research community to identify this evolution, mainly in view of the original reasons for creating the NSF and the main objectives of the academic enterprise. Propositions for helping the community guide this evolution in the realm of the Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) program of the NSF, and their relation to the future of the TTP community itself will be presented, including details of the new TTP program description and relevance, the emphasis on engineering (e.g., nano), the review panel composition, and the support for meetings and workshops. Finally, information on budget, recent funding allocations and opportunities by the program, together with details on the new NASA/CASIS joint program, the possibility of “open” submission window, and the identification of three ingredients for strengthening proposals, are also discussed.

Bio: A Professor of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he began his career in 1991, Prof. Lage is currently on leave at the National Science Foundation where he is the Director of the Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) program. Among his current responsibilities is the identification of emerging frontiers of multidisciplinary activities and innovative research, the development of strategic plans for targeted investments in research and education, and the coordination and collaboration with other Federal agencies and organizations to ensure investments are made in a diverse, rich mix of bold, cutting-edge projects.

A Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, Lage has accumulated over 200 peer reviewed publications, including journal articles and book chapters. He has conducted interdisciplinary collaborative research, both at the national and international levels, in partnership with several colleagues in academia and industries, and with funding from several agencies, including the NSF, DOE, and NIST. He has pioneered the use of fractional calculus in fluid mechanics and micro-scale heat transfer, with direct application to thin film characterization. He has designed, built and tested a new (patented) cold plate for phased-array radar systems, now used in the USAF F-35 joint strike fighter. His original work on the implications of blood flow in alveolar respiration has led to the discovery of a new, more efficient form of forced convection by particulates termed “sweeping convection”. He has also coined the term “porous-continuum” to highlight the differences between experimental (measured) and analytical (predicted) quantities used in analytical models. His current h- index is 34 on Google Scholar, with over 3,850 citations.

He has created, got funded and directed for over six years a FIPSE-CAPES bi-lateral, multi-university consortium in Manufacturing and Global Security. He has served as the Associate Chair of the SMU/ME Dep for three years, and more recently has been elected and served as the President of the SMU Faculty Senate when he led the highest faculty representation body in the university. Lage has been elected an Honorary Member of Pi Tau Sigma and a Fellow of the ASME, and served twice as an Associate Editor of the ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER, among other journals. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Sigma Xi for Outstanding Research, the ASEE for Outstanding Teaching, the ASME-NTS Engineer of the Year Award for "Outstanding Achievements in Mechanical Engineering", the SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award for "Significant Contributions to Teaching, Research and Student Development", and the SMU Golden Mustang Award for "Sustained High Achievement as both a Teacher and Scholar". He has been a Visiting Professor of the Swiss Federal Institute of Engineering (ETH-Zurich), and of the Federal University of Technology Parana (UTF-PR-Brazil). In 2014 he was elected member of the Scientific Council of the International Centre for Heat and Mass Transfer.