Bio
Dr. Zhiming Gao is a senior research and development staff member in the Buildings and Transportation Science Division. His research primarily focuses on developing energy-efficient HVAC equipment, including micro-CHPs, furnaces, integrated heat pumps, water heaters, refrigerators, frost sensors, desiccants, and membrane technologies in zero-emission building applications. Dr. Gao also is an expert on vehicle powertrain, emissions control, and LD/MD/HD vehicle electrification. He has published more than 100 publications in Nature Communications, Energy, Energy Conversion and Management and many others, including more than 60 publications as lead authors. Dr. Gao achieved 4 patents/software copyrights and filed 3 more patent applications, all as lead inventors. In addition, he received 2022 and 2024 R&D 100 Awards as team leaders. The accomplishments have been widely highlighted by ORNL, DOE Science News, HVAC&R Industry News, and many other science and technology news sources. Dr. Gao's works are funded from ARPA-E, BTO, DOE/TCF, UT/Battelle LDRD/TIP, VTO, and WPTO.
Awards
2024 R&D 100 Award for high-efficiency micro combined heat & power device (Team leader)
2024 American Society of Thermal and Fluid Engineers Best Paper Award (Sole author)
2023 ORNL BTSD Team Science Award (Team leader)
2022 R&D 100 Award for ultraclean condensing gas furnace (Team leader)
Professional Service
TRB’s outstanding committee member on air quality and greenhouse mitigation – AMS10, 2020-2026.
Voting Member, ASHRAE T-TAC-TC01.10 Committee: Combined Heat and Power Systems, 2022-2026.