Dr. Michael Pate
Director,
Center for Building Energy Research
Dr. Michael Pate received a B.S. degree in Naval Engineering from the US Naval Academy in 1970, an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1978, and a Ph.D. from Purdue in 1981. His work experience includes 5 years of service as a Naval Officer aboard nuclear powered submarines and a year of employment with GE’s Advanced Nuclear Reactor Systems Division in Sunnydale, CA, which followed the Ph.D. degree. Dr. Pate has been a faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department at ISU since 1982. Prior to assuming the duties on August of 2007 as the Director of the Center for Building Energy Research, he was the Associate Director from 2005 to 2007 and the Director from 1999-2004.
Research Interests
Dr. Pate’s research focuses on building energy use and conservation along with improving the efficiency of building mechanical and HVAC systems. He is also active in fundamental research dealing with heat transfer and properties of refrigerant/lubricant mixtures. Dr. Pate also teaches courses and performs research on alternative energy conversion technologies and other energy systems, such as compressed air systems. He has supervised and completed more than 70 funded projects since 1982, with his research being supported by a combination of industry and government sponsors, such as Iowa Energy Center, ASHRAE, EPA, DOE, DNR, DuPont, GE, Copeland Corp., Cognis Corp., Witco Corp., ARTI Inc., Maytag, Amana, etc.
Awards & Recognitions
Dr. Pate is a former editor of the International Journal of Refrigeration and a former 8-year member of the ASHRAE Program Committee. He is also the recipient of ISU’s highest teaching award, namely the Louis Thompson Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. In addition, he was awarded the Engineering College’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2005 and the Outstanding Young Researcher Award in 1992, along with the ME Department’s Professor of the Year in 2003 and 2006. His awards for research papers include Best ASHRAE Symposium Paper Award in 1996 and Best ASHRAE Technical Paper Award in 1996.
