Brent Nelson, PhD

• National Academy of Engineering CASEE Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Biologically-Inspired Design, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-2008
  • Research Focus: design metrics, design innovation, design education
• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007.
  • Research Focus: nanofabrication and nanosensing
  • Major Field of Study: thermal sciences
  • Minor Fields of Study: condensed matter physics, applied mathematics
• Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004.
  • Major Field of Study: thermal sciences
• Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of California – Berkeley, 2002.

Dr. Brent Nelson’s expertise spans a variety of topics, including energy systems analysis, energy policy, energy transport, bioengineering, and materials science. He completed his PhD performing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of thermal transport, materials science, and nanofabrication, which he followed with a postdoctoral fellowship in design innovation and education with the National Academy of Engineering CASEE program. He spent 2014-2016 away from NAU working as a policy fellow at the US Department of Energy in the Building Technologies Office, where he managed multiple international research programs and provided strategic analysis to guide R&D strategy. He also has an ongoing collaborative relationship with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He has published in a wide variety of fields, including energy policy, bioengineering, design methodology, nanoscience, thermal modeling, and engineering education.

Dr. Nelson’s primary current research interest focuses on understanding the opportunities for and economic/environmental impacts of demand side management in the energy sector. In particular, he is interested in how technological and policy change affect energy consumption patterns, and how these resultant changes affect energy generation and supply, including the integration of renewable energy. His current projects focus on modeling the impacts of electrical load flexibility and determining the grid impacts of adoption of various demand-side technologies, including thermal energy storage and electrified transportation. Dr. Nelson also continues to use his background in nanoscience to collaborate on bioengineering projects focused on measurement of protein-protein interactions.

His non-academic interests include trying to be a blessing to those around him, assorted outdoor activities, musical instruments, and shenanigans.