Principal Investigator
Zhengmao Lu
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
Email: zhengmao.lu@epfl.ch
Phone: +41 21 693 31 65
Office: MED 3 1526
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Zhengmao Lu joined the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) as a Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering in February 2023. Previously, Zhengmao was a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT as well. At EPFL, Zhengmao leads the Energy Transport Advances Laboratory (η-Lab), aiming to obtain a deeper understanding of phase change phenomena and develop more sustainable energy technologies by optimizing interfacial transport.
Administrative Assistant
Chiara Donini
Email: chiara.donini@epfl.ch
Phone: +41 21 693 73 96
Office: MED 0 1023
Chiara Donini has moved from Northern Italy’s Dolomites to Swiss Alps more than 25 years ago. She has been working at EPFL since then, first in IC then STI from 2004 on. She starts working part-time for η-Lab in February 2024. When she is not at the office, she will be at her piano practicing, trying to crack a new foreign language or wandering around the countryside.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Sk Rameez Iqbal
Email: rameez.iqbal@epfl.ch
Phone: +41 21 693 29 20
Office: MED 3 1626
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Sk Rameez Iqbal joined η-Lab as a Postdoctoral Researcher in May 2023. Previously, Rameez was a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Laboratory of Multiphase Thermofluidics and Surface Nanoengineering at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, India. At η-Lab, Rameez would be primarily working on multiphase thermofluidics phenomena. Besides work, he enjoys travelling, cooking, and interacting with people from different parts of the world.
PhD Students
Gautier Rouaze
Email: gautier.rouaze@epfl.ch
Phone: +41 21 693 05 13
Office: MED 3 1626
Scopus, LinkedIn
Gautier Rouaze joined η-Lab as a Doctoral Student in July 2023. Prior to this, Gautier worked several years as a Thermal Research Engineer at JJ Cooling Innovation, a spinoff of the Laboratory of Heat and Mass Transfer at EPFL. He received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from EPFL and HES diploma from the HEPIA University of Applied Science in Geneva. At η-Lab, his research focus is on the application and optimization of passive cooling systems, harnessing and combining the principles of radiative and evaporative heat transfer. Outside the lab, Gautier immerses himself in cycling, bike travels, and the innovative realms of 3D printing and electronics, blending creativity with technology.
Igor Reshetnikov
Email: igor.reshetnikov@epfl.ch
Office: MED 3 1626
Igor Reshetnikov joined η-Lab as a PhD student in May 2024. Over his eight-year career in academia, Igor was actively involved in numerous projects spanning the domains of nanooxide generation, super-resolution microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Sum Frequency Scattering spectroscopy. He holds an MEng degree in Theoretical and Applied Optics from the Institut d’Optique Graduate School in France, as well as MSc degree in Biological Systems and Physical Concepts from Universite Paris-Saclay, and MSc degree in Physics of Atoms and Molecules from Novosibirsk State University in Russia. With a broad background and experience in physics and optics, Igor will establish the optical part of η-Lab at EPFL, investigate fundamental evaporation physics, and contribute to the optimization of passive cooling systems
Wenbo Wang
Email: wenbo.wang@epfl.ch
Office: MED 3 1023
Wenbo Wang joined η-Lab as a PhD student in July 2024. Before joining η-Lab, Wenbo earned his Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University. His research focuses on probing nanoscale bubbling phenomena with advanced metrologies, which will have potential applications in boiling and electrolysis systems. Wenbo also enjoys skiing, hiking, and cooking.
Takehiro Shiraishi
Email: takehiro.shiraishi@epfl.ch
Office: MED 3 1023
Takehiro Shiraishi joined η-Lab as a PhD student in August 2024. He holds both a M.S. and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan. His academic background lies in micro- and nanoscale fluid dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the behavior of liquid-gas interfaces. At η-Lab, his research centers on bubble nucleation, with applications in pool boiling and electrolysis, aiming to advance the understanding of heat and mass transfer processes at small scales.
Farkhondeh Khodabandeh
Email: farkhondeh.khodabandeh@epfl.ch
Office: MED 0 1025
Farkhondeh Khodabandeh joined η-Lab as a Doctoral Student in February 2025. She holds both a B.S. and a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Tehran, Iran. Farkhondeh’s academic focus centers on the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, particularly exploring their (photo)electrochemical properties for water splitting applications. At η-lab, her research is mainly concerned with the investigation of bubbles behavior in electrochemical devices to develop more efficient renewable fuel production pathways. Outside the lab, Farkhondeh finds solace in the pages of a good book and the discipline of Taekwondo, where strength and focus come together in perfect harmony.
Léo Mutschler
Email: leo.mutschler@epfl.ch
Office: MED 0 1025
Léo Mutschler joined η-Lab as a PhD student in February 2025, after obtaining a BSc. and MSc. in Materials Science and Engineering from EPFL. His current research is focused on area-enhanced porous structures for two-phase cooling. Outside the lab, Léo’s personal interests span from geopolitics to outdoors activities, mainly cycling and running.