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Biomass conversion to liquid fuels/chemicals/electricity; Materials for solar energy conversion and storage; Combustion; Modeling, simulation and optimization of energy systems; Design and synthesis of energy conversion systems; Energy and sustainability; Energy and water supply chain; Energy use, conservation and lighting technologies for buildings; Wind energy conversion technologies

Dr. Alvarado’s research interests are micro-scale and nano-scale heat transfer with specific emphases on electronic cooling, thermal energy storage, heat transfer fluids, condensation, and phase change materials. He has done substantial research in the areas of microexplosion and combustion of biofuels. Recent work involves enhanced condensation using hybrid surfaces with hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, characterization of microencapsulated phase change material slurry and nanoparticles as heat transfer fluids, as well as the study of spray and droplet impingement cooling using nanostructured surfaces. He and his team recently designed, built, and characterized – computationally and experimentally – a thermal energy storage system. He has also formulated and characterized liquid biofuels and analyzed their combustion emissions.

2016-Present	Professor, Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
2010-2016	Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution, Texas A&M University
2007-Present	Joint Faculty Appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
2004-2010	Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution, Texas A&M University
2000-2004	Research Assistant, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Lab (CERL) and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1996-1999	Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, General Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Departments
1991-1996	Naval Officer, Civil Engineer Corps, U.S. Navy