∇ Lab | Energy Materials • Interfaces • Transport
People · Director

Laurent Pilon

Director, Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute
Epsilon Energy Materials Innovation Professor
Director of the Gradient Lab
School of Engineering | Mechanical Engineering Dept.

Prof. Laurent Pilon
Curriculum vitae laurent.pilon@tufts.edu Google Scholar LinkedIn

Laurent Pilon is the Epsilon Energy Materials Innovation Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University and the inaugural Director of the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute. His research group works at the intersection of interfacial and transport phenomena and materials science to develop sustainable energy technologies. His group pioneered operando isothermal calorimetry and potentiometric entropy measurements for batteries and electrochemical capacitors, and established widely used physical interpretations of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Prior to joining Tufts University, Pilon served as Associate Director for Technology and Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E). From 2002 to 2026, Pilon was Professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Pilon and his collaborators have co-authored 6 book chapters, more than 220 archival journal publications, and 6 patents.

He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and his M.S. and B.S. in Applied Physics from the Grenoble Institute of Technology, France. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, the Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award in Heat Transfer, and the Heat Transfer Memorial Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Professional experience

Tufts University, Medford, MA

School of Engineering | Mechanical Engineering

  • 2026–present – Epsilon Energy Materials Innovation Professor
  • 2026–present – Director, Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute

Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), Washington, DC

  • 2024–2026 – Associate Director for Technology
  • 2022–2026 – Program Director

University of California, Los Angeles, CA

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

  • 2012–2026 – Professor
  • 2008–2012 – Associate Professor
  • 2002–2008 – Assistant Professor

Programs developed and/or managed at ARPA-E

  • CIRCULARCatalyzing Innovative Research for Circular Use of Long-lived Advanced Rechargeables: technologies for a circular battery supply chain through rejuvenation, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling.$37M · created, selected, and managed
  • High Temperature Superconducting TapesExploratory topic on U.S.-based manufacturing of high-quality, low-cost REBCO tapes for fusion reactors, electric aviation, power transmission, and power electronics.$10M · created, selected, and managed
  • IGNIITE 2024 and 2025Inspire Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy: award empowering early-career researchers to pursue disruptive, unconventional ideas across America’s most critical energy technology priorities.$21.5M · created, selected, and managed
  • Vision OPEN 2024Agency-wide program for groundbreaking energy technologies; Chair of the Management Review Board for the full application phase.$150M · 49 projects
  • HESTIAHarnessing Emissions into Structures Taking Inputs from the Atmosphere: develop carbon-negative building materials and designs to transform buildings into carbon sinks.$45M · managed
  • COOLERCHIPSCooling Operations Optimized for Leaps in Energy, Reliability, and Carbon Hyperefficiency for Information Processing Systems: efficient cooling of data centers.Managed 5 projects

Education

  • Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2002
  • M.S. Applied Physics, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France, 1997
  • B.S. Applied Physics, Grenoble Institute of Technology, France, 1997

Selected honors and awards

  • 2023Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Award, Purdue University, School of Mechanical Engineering
  • 2021ASME Heat Transfer Memorial Award
  • 2015ASME Fellow
  • 2011Henry and Susan Samueli Teaching Award from UCLA MAE Dept.
  • 2009JQSRT Young Scientist Award in Radiative Transfer from Elsevier
  • 2008Bergles-Rohsenow Young Investigator Award in Heat Transfer from ASME
  • 2005Northrup Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award from UCLA Engineering
  • 2005National Science Foundation CAREER Award

See also: Members and alumni · Openings