Lorenzo Cremaschi CV

Education

Postdoctoral training in Mechanical Engineering, Aug. 2006
Research topics investigated: micro-refrigeration systems, electro-hydrodynamic flows, electronic cooling.
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Supervisors and Mentors: Dr. Eckhard Groll and Dr. Suresh Garimella

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, July 2004
Research topics investigated: heat transfer and two phase flow of lubricants and refrigerants mixtures, advanced heat pump systems, sensors for lubricant circulation in AC automobile systems
University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Ph.D. Thesis title: “Experimental and theoretical investigation of oil retention in vapor compression systems”
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Reinhard Radermacher

M.S. & B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Feb. 2001
Research topics investigated: Computational heat transfer and thermal management of electronics
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
M.S. Thesis title: “Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of natural convection inside enclosure with round heat sources”
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Mauro Corticelli

 

  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Present Positions

Associate Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering                          Jan 1, 2026 - present

Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

Supervisor: Dr. George Flowers, Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering

Description of the job: to manage critical initiatives, substitute for chair at events as needed, provide counsel, advice, serve as sound board, working with area chairs.

Specific responsibilities included:

  • Developed and implemented strategies for the growth of the department
  • Led new faculty recruitment
  • Led graduate students’ recruitment (both domestic and international students)
  • Managed graduate program
  • Substituted for chair at events and managed the department as needed when chair is absent

 

Director of Auburn University Undergraduate Research                                     Jan 1, 2022 - present

Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

Supervisor: Dr. Steve Taylor, Senior Vice President for Research & Economic Development at Auburn University

Description of the job: to develop and implement a strategic plan for increasing the visibility and involvement of undergraduates in research and be responsible for providing support and administrative leadership for undergraduate research programs, including the development of new initiatives.

Specific responsibilities include:

  • work with colleges and schools of Auburn University to promote and financially support the competitive Undergraduate Fellowship Program
  • collaborate with faculty to obtain external funding and increase opportunities for undergraduate research
  • Provide supporting letters for faculty grant proposals that include undergraduate research activity
  • work with the Office of Academic Engagement to track and evaluate undergraduate research activity and student outcomes as a result of participation
  • provide professional development workshops and research training to student researchers
  • Oversee the program website and develop and disseminate publicity and marketing materials, such as newsletters, flyers, and brochures, to promote the program.
  • Build national recognition of undergraduate research activity at Auburn University through participation in conferences and organizations focused on undergraduate research
  • Serve on the organizing committees for the university’s research symposia, specifically taking a leading role in organizing the annual student research symposium.
  • Serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship
  • Conduct orientation and period meetings of the Undergraduate Research Fellows to promote a cohort experience that promotes understanding of scholarly activity across many disciplines
  • Support and promote inclusive and equitable practices in undergraduate research
  • Promote verbal and written communication skill development by providing training and practice opportunities for undergraduate students through research capstone presentations and publications.

 

Henry M. Burt, Jr., Professor                                                                            Oct 1, 2024 - Present

Auburn University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn, AL, USA

Supervisor: Dr. George Flowers, Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering

Description of job responsibilities:

  • Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses; supervising graduate and undergraduates assistants, serving on graduate student committees, advising students on curricular and career choice, serving on departmental, college, and university committees.
  • Pursuing research on energy systems, heat and mass transfer processes and thermodynamics, pursue research on energy conversion systems and mini-, micro-technologies as they relate to building and transportation thermal systems; acquiring of external funding and developing scholarly and creative activities via publication of research and presentation of technical materials, organizing seminars, technical conference, and outreach activities.
  • Developing and maintaining an extramurally funded and nationally competitive research program, and working collaboratively with colleagues in the department as well as those in the college of engineering and in the University.

Previous experience

Professor                                                                                                    April 1, 2021 – Sept 30, 2024

Auburn University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn, AL, USA

Associate Professor                                                                                       Jan 1, 2016 – Mar 31, 2021

Auburn University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn, AL, USA

Associate Professor                                                                                          July 2012 – Dec. 2015

Oklahoma State University, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Stillwater, OK

Assistant Professor                                                                                        Aug. 2006 – June 2012

Oklahoma State University, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Stillwater, OK

Post-Doctorate Research Associate                                                              Sept. 2004 – July 2006

Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, Mechanical Engineering Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

  • Investigated the performance and feasibility of meso- and micro-scale refrigeration systems for electronics cooling. I also studied electron hydro dynamic pumps and micro- diaphragm compressors for electronics cooling applications.

Graduate Research Assistant                                                                             Jun. 2001- Aug. 2004

Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE), University of Maryland, College Park, MD

  • Studied Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as refrigerant for air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
  • Assembled and tested new sensor to measure oil circulation in line of a vapor compression system.
  • Analyzed tri-generation systems for electric power production, heating, and cooling of buildings.

  

 

AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS: 

  1. 2026, ASHRAE Fellow; this recognition is for an individual who “has attained distinction in the arts and sciences of heating, refrigeration, air conditioning or ventilation and has made substantial contributions to these arts and sciences.”
  2. 2024 Henry M. Burt, Jr. Endowed Professorship for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering;
    the Burt Professorship recognition focused on “demonstrated excellence in the areas of instruction, research, extension/outreach, and service”. This recognition is designed to support “superior faculty of the Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering”. The holder of the Burt Professorship must have achieved the academic rank of full-time tenured full professor or full-time tenured associate professor. In addition, he/she must be a member of the Mechanical Engineering program as well as “demonstrate a strong commitment to students and the provision of high-quality research, teaching, and service.”  The primary role of the person holding the Burt Professorship is to “strengthen and enhance the program of Mechanical Engineering, and through the quality of the holder’s work, serve as a positive role model for his/her colleagues and students”.
  3. 2022 Research Award for Excellence (senior award category) from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University; this award "recognizes excellence in engineering research at Auburn University”.
  4. 2020 ASHRAE Exceptional Service Award; “this award recognizes ASHRAE members who have served the Society with exemplary effort, far in excess of that required for the Distinguished Service Award”.
  5. 2019 ASHRAE Distinguish Service Award; “this award recognizes ASHRAE members who have served the Society faithfully and with distinction on committees or have otherwise given freely of their time and talent on behalf of the Society”.
  6. 2018, Birmingham Chapter of ASHRAE’s 2017 Educator of the Year Award; plaque reads “for outstanding achievements in the application of heating, refrigerating, and air conditioning technology”, Birmingham regional ASHRAE meeting, May 16 2018, Birmingham, AL, U.SA.
  7. 2014 Research Excellence Award from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology of Oklahoma State University; this award is “in recognition of excellent achievements in research and scholarly activities”.
  8. 2013 Innovative Research Grant Award, ASHRAE; this award is for “novel research which does not fit within the current TC research activities, but deemed to have the potential to significantly advance the state-of-the-art in heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and refrigeration engineering”.
  9. 2012 Halliburton Outstanding Young Faculty Award from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology of Oklahoma State University; Plaque says "in recognition of outstanding achievement and professionalism in education, research and service to students".
  10. 2012 International Journal of Refrigeration Best Paper of the Year Award 2011/2012.
  11. 2012 Best Paper (3rd place) Award at the Int. Conference of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning at Purdue.
  12. 2012 Best Poster Paper Presentation Award at the ASHRAE Annual and Semi-annual Conferences.
  13. 2008 Teaching Award from Pi Tau Sigma in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, presented by Pi Tau Sigma ME Honorary society undergraduate students. This award is for “best course of the year with the highest efforts required and the most useful material learnt by the students”.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE TO ARCHIVAL JOURNALS 

  • Associate Editor for International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer Journal Aug 2025 – Present
  • Editor-in-Chief of the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship Jan 2022 – Present
  • Associate Editor for Science and Technology for the Built Environment Journal (STBE, formerly the ASHRAE HVAC&R Research Journal) July 2017 -  July 2023

 

TEACHING AND ADVISING

Course Taught at Auburn University (AU)

Undergraduate courses taught at AU

  1. Thermodynamics I (a second-year engineering level course)
  2. Thermodynamics II (a third-year engineering level course)
  3. Renewable Energy Resources and Applications – undergraduate Technical elective
  4. Advanced Refrigeration Systems – undergraduate Technical elective

 Graduate courses taught at AU

  1. Advanced Refrigeration Systems – graduate version
  2. Cryogenic systems and low-temperature processes
  3. Advanced Thermodynamics
  4. Renewable Energy Resources and Applications – graduate version
  5. Introduction to Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

Course Taught at Oklahoma State University (OSU)

Undergraduate courses taught at OSU

  1. Introduction to Engineering (a freshman level course)
  2. Thermodynamics II (a third-year engineering level course)
  3. Design of Indoor Environmental Systems (a fourth-year engineering level course)
  4. Modern Technological Innovations of Italy (for all Engineering college students at all levels, site visit and study abroad are components of this course)

 Graduate courses taught at OSU

  1. Refrigeration
  2. Advanced Thermodynamics I

Graduate Students Advising

Ph.D. students advised/currently advising (15)
M.S. students advised/currently advising (22)
Graduate students supervised during research and scholarly activities (6)

Teaching Service and Mentoring
Undergraduate students advised/currently advising (53)

Mentoring undergraduate students for research and scholarly activities (25).

Student Organizations Advised (club name and years advised)

At Auburn University

  1. Faculty Advisor of AU ASHRAE Student Branch Chapter, Nov 2016 – Present

At Oklahoma State University
Within MAE Department

  1. Faculty Advisor of the PI TAU SIGMA ME Honorary Society at OSU, Aug 2009 – Dec. 2015
  2. Faculty Advisor of OSU ASHRAE Student Branch Chapter, Dec 1, 2007 – Dec. 2015

Campus wide

  1. Faculty Advisor of Latin Dance Cultural Club OSU, Jan 1, 2007 – Dec. 2015

 

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS & SUMMARY

  • 20 projects as PI
  • 4 completed projects as co-PI
  • ~$5.3M in externally funded research 
  • ~$1.2M in research facilities and laboratory development projects

 

 

LEADERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

  • President of the American Society of Thermal and Fluids Engineers (ASTFE)    (July 20205 - Present)
  • President of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) B1 Commission, Thermodynamics and transfer processes,                                                                                      (Aug 2023- Present)
  • Advisory Committee Member, Purdue University Herrick Conferences                           (2023-2024)
  • Chairman of the Executive Committee of the American Society of Thermal and Fluids Engineers (ASTFE). This committee consists of 5 individuals, and its scope is to lead the society forward                                                                                                                       (Jan 2022 – Jun 2025)
  • Member of ASHRAE Research Administration Committee (RAC)   (July 2019 – June 2023)
    This Committee consists of 13 individuals, and its scope is to evaluate and oversight research proposals, awards, and research projects within ASHRAE
  • Chairman of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) / U.S. National Committee (Jan. 2020 – Jul 2024)
  • Conference Technical Program Co-Chair for the 5th Thermal and Fluid Engineering International Conference, ASTFE, New Orleans, LA, USA, April 5-8, 2020/ 2021                (May 2019 – May 2021)
  • Conference Technical Program Chair for the 4th Thermal and Fluid Engineering International Conference, ASTFE, Las Vegas, NV, April 14-17, 2019               April 2018 – May 2019)
  • Co-Chair of the ASTFE Task Group in Energy and Sustainability (ASTFE TG, April 2017 – Jun 2022)
  • Vice-President of Commission for the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)     (April 2020 – Present)
  • Conference Track Chair for a track entitled “Condensation and Freezing”, at the ASME 2019 17th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, June 23-26, 2019, St. Johns, Canada, (Jan 2019 – June 2019)
  • Conference Session Chair for a technical papers session entitled “Advances in Refrigerants”, on the Refrigeration Track of the ASHRAE 2019 Winter Conference, Jan 12-16, 2019, Atlanta, GA, USA.
  • Conference Track Chair for a track entitled “Condensation and Freezing”, at the ASME 2018 International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, June 10-13, 2018, Dubrovnik, Croatia (Jun 2017 – Jun 2018).
  • Conference Chair for two technical paper sessions and one Panel/Forum session, 2018, Conference Sessions Title “Fundamental in Fluid and Heat/Mass and Momentum Transfer – 1, and “CFD: Natural and Mixed Convection”, and Panel Title “Heat and Mass Transfer in Extreme Humidity”, 3rd Thermal and Fluid Engineering Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Mar 4-7
  • Conference Session Chair for a technical papers session entitled “Improvements in Heat Transfer Equipment”, on the Heat Exchange Equipment Track of the ASHRAE 2018 Winter Conference, (Jan 20-24, 2018, Chicago, IL, USA).
  • Conference - Forum Panel Chair on Low GWP Refrigerants within the context of the Kyoto Protocol, ASHRAE 2018 Winter Conference, (January 20-24, 2018, Chicago, IL, USA).
  • Conference Session Chair for one technical papers session on Energy, Water, and Sustainability and Thermal Cycles – Part 1, 2nd Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference of the ASTFE (April 2-5, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)
  • Conference Session Chair for one technical papers session on Energy, Water, and Sustainability and Thermal Cycles – Part 2, 2nd Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference of the ASTFE (April 2-5, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)
  • Conference - Forum Panel Chair on LGWP Refrigerant within the contest of the Kyoto Protocol, 2nd Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference of the ASTFE (April 2-5, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)
  • Program subcommittee chair of TC1.3 Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow (Jul. 2011 – June 2017)
  • Treasurer of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) / U.S. National Committee (Jan. 2016– Jan 2020)
  • Chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee TC8.4 Air-to-Refrigerant Heat Transfer Equipment (2013 – 2016)
  • Session chair of the Technical Session “Refrigeration for the Future, Latest Research on Refrigeration Systems and Components” at the summer ASHRAE annual meeting in Albuquerque, NM, (Jun. 26 – 30, 2010)
  • Vice-chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee TC8.4 Air-to-Refrigerant Heat Transfer Equipment (Jul. 2011 – June 2013)
  • Chairman of the ASHRAE Handbook sub-committee for TC8.11 Unitary and Room Air Conditioners and Heat Pump (Jul 2008 – July 2011)
  • Program Chairman of the 11th International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference at Purdue, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN     (Jan. 2005 – Jul, 2006)
  • Assistant Coordinator of the Carbon Dioxide Interested Group (C-DIG) meeting, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN                                            (Mar. 12 – 17, 2006)

 

DISTINCT SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES EXAMPLES RELATED TO EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 

  1. Auburn University: example of broadening the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM.
    Dr. Cremaschi developed a proposal for expanding the Undergraduate Research Fellowship program to additional fellowships for a broader range of undergraduate students. The proposal, which was awarded the Bright Idea Seed Grant from the Auburn Office of Academic Insight, was developed in collaboration with the Office of Inclusion and Diversity and the Honors College (Oct. 2022).
  1. Auburn University: example of contributions to the science of learning
    Dr. Cremaschi collaborated with the Teaching Center, the University Writing, and the University Library to assist students with and develop tools for writing abstracts, preparing presentations, and writing research articles.
  1. Auburn University: example of the development of tools to support education
    Dr. Cremaschi led the orientation meetings of the graduate students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and developed an Online Canvas Platform for the 1st Year Graduate Students Experience in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

 

SHORT COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

  • 2026, Best Practices in Research Excellence Workshop, Andrzejewski, C., and Cremaschi, L., Research Innovation Center, Auburn, AL, Jan 14, 2026.
  • 2025, Best Practices in Research Excellence Workshop, Andrzejewski, C., and Cremaschi, L., Applied Research Institute, Huntsville, AL, Feb 17, 2025.
  • 2025, Best Practices for Research Excellence Workshop, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, Jan 27-28, 2025.
  • 2016, Oil Management in Compressors. Lecture from L. Cremaschi on the Topic “Impact of oil on heat transfer and pressure drop, and oil retention in heat exchangers”. This short course was organized at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA on July 10, 2016.

OUTREACH TO K-12 SCHOOL PROGRAMS

  • Judge at Middle School Science and Engineering Fair (Greater East Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair – GEARSEF, Auburn, AL, March 4-5, 2020)

 

INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING

  1. Expert` Witness in a Nationwide legal litigation about HVAC Systems and Equipment; Retained by Law Firm Hogan Lovells US LLP, in Washington D.C. and Miami, FL, USA (case style: St. Gregory Cathedral School, et al. v. LG Electronics, Inc., et al., Case No. 6:12-cv-739 (MHS), filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas). 2014 to July 2015.
  2. Expert Consultant in a legal litigation about HVAC Systems and Refrigerants; Retained by Law Firm Pignato, Cooper, Kolker, & Roberson, P.C., Oklahoma City, OK, USA 2015 to Dec 2015.
  3. Expert Consultant in a legal arbitration about Testing Water Pools; Retained by Law Firm Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Atlanta, GA (Expert Services in connection with Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. v. OMI, Inc. AAA Case No. 01-20-0000-1620) 2021 to Dec 2022
  4. Expert Consultant in a legal arbitration about Refrigerants and Lubricants Pairs; Retained by Law Firm Perilla Knox & Hildebrandt LLP, Alpharetta, GA March 2023 to Jun 2024.

 

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Last Updated: 2/6/26 2:49 PM