Jacob Leachman, associate professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, has received the Cryogenic Society of America’s Roger W. Boom award.
Leachman was recognized for his research on the cryogenic properties of hydrogen, as well as for his work in student mentoring and education.
The Roger Boom award is awarded every other year to young professionals under the age of 40 who show promise in making significant contributions in cryogenic engineering and applied superconductivity, according to the Cryogenic Society of America (CSA) website.
Cryogenics involves research of physics, materials and processes at very cold temperatures. The award is named for the late Roger Boom, who was a professor in cryogenic engineering at the University of Wisconsin.
Leachman, who has been at WSU since 2010, established the Hydrogen Properties for Energy Research laboratory at WSU. The lab is focused on the study of cryogenic hydrogen for energy and aerospace related applications.
His research interests include:
- Hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and mixtures.
- Small, modular hydrogen liquefier design.
- Thermophysical property modeling and measurement.
- Rocket and space stage vehicle design.
- Liquid hydrogen fueling of unmanned aerial systems.
He has received grant support from a number of agencies, including NASA and the Joint Center for Aerospace Technology and Innovation. He recently received a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to test a new technology for liquid hydrogen fueling facilities.
Leachman also has served as a faculty mentor on several student projects, including an effort to build the first university-based liquid hydrogen fuel unmanned aerial system. He also advised student groups who took top prizes in the international Hydrogen Student Design Competition.
Leachman holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Idaho.
The award will be presented Oct. 29 at the CSA’s Applied Superconductivity conference in Seattle.
