Reflections on My Research in Heat and Energy

Abstract This article reflects on the author's research career, which has focused on heat and energy. It details the challenges faced by the author and his research group, highlights their successes and failures, and explores some intriguing unresolved questions in the fields of heat transfer and energy. The author's career has been significantly shaped by his mentors, students, associates, collaborators, and the opportunities to tackle problems at the intersection of heat transfer, materials science, and physics. Additionally, the article discusses the research philosophy imparted by his Ph.D. advisor, Chang-Lin Tien, and the influence of the research culture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It also offers career advice for students, as well as early- and midcareer researchers.