King talks thermal engineering in Scientific American

Thermal engineering is usually an afterthought, considered only after an electric system has been designed. As quoted in Scientific American this week, MechSE Professor Bill King says some research groups have begun to consider the concept of co-designing electronics and cooling solutions. He says thermal management is a major limitation for all types of electronics, especially power electronic devices such as those used in hybrid and electric vehicles, the electric grid, and communications.

King works on these topics as part of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Power Optimization of Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS), along with Professor Nenad Miljkovic and Center Director Professor Andrew Alleyne.