In a new Q&A on Energy.gov, Akanksha Menon, a thermal scientist in the Energy Technologies Area, talks about what inspired her STEM career path, what excites her most about working at Berkeley Lab, and tips for someone looking to enter her field.
Dr. Akanksha Menon is an ITRI-Rosenfeld Postdoctoral Fellow and thermal scientist in the Energy Technologies Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Akanksha joined the Thermal Energy Group in 2018 to perform research at the water-energy nexus, and her current projects include transforming wastewater into clean water by harnessing solar energy and decarbonizing heat using composite materials for thermal energy storage. Akanksha obtained her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, where she developed polymer-based thermoelectrics that harvest thermal energy for wearable electronics and functional textiles. Akanksha is a recipient of the 2019 Sigma Xi Dissertation Award and the 2017 MRS (Materials Research Society) Graduate Student Silver Award. She co-founded the Water Wednesday’s initiative at Berkeley Lab and served as the Co-President of the Energy Club @ Georgia Tech.
