Igor Bargatin is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Igor's research interests are focused on micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) for new applications in energy conversion, optics, and smart materials. He applies his knowledge of physics and engineering disciplines to design and test new types of devices, such as microfabricated thermionic energy converters, which convert heat directly to electricity at very high temperatures by literally boiling electrons off a surface and using them as a "working fluid" in a heat engine. Igor plans to have a multidisciplinary group at Penn, engaged in research at the intersections of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, and applied physics.
