Mechanical Engineering Alumnus Wins Postdoc Recognition

Shank Kulkarni, a UNC Charlotte Mechanical Engineering alumnus and now a postdoctoral researcher at Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), was named a runner-up in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) Postdoctoral Recognition Award, where he was recognized for “exceptional research innovation in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.”

“This is a great achievement for Shank,” said Jamie Holladay, who manages PNNL’s hydrogen and fuel cells programs. “This is a very prestigious award given to the best postdocs among all of the national laboratories funded by HFTO.”

Kulkarni received his Ph.D. from UNC Charlotte. His research focuses on finite element analysis, peridynamics, solid mechanics, and material modeling. He has been a postdoc at PNNL since 2019.