Luke Davenport

Ph.D. Student

B.S., Engineering Physics, Ohio University

Current project(s):

Freeze Casting for Fabrication of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Phone:

Email: lukedavenport2031@u.northwestern.edu

Address: 2220 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

I received my bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from Ohio University, where I had materials research experience studying transition metal nitride thin films. I subsequently participated in Northwestern's MRSEC REU program, focusing on energy materials. I also completed Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships studying tribology and mechanical properties at Argonne National Laboratory, and chemical looping reforming at the National Laboratory of the Rockies. Outside of the lab, I spend my free time woodworking and enjoying the outdoors, particularly mountain biking and long distance bikepacking.

Now, I am pursuing my interests in electrochemical energy conversion and ceramics as a co-advised student in the Dunand and Haile groups. My research examines the microstructural engineering of functionally graded anodes for direct-methane solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), utilizing freeze-casting and computational modeling to eliminate mass transport bottlenecks and boost catalytic activity.

Selected Honors

Publications

1. Luke C. Davenport, Oscar Avalos-Ovando, Alexander O. Govorov, Martin E. Kordesch. Adv. Photonics Res.. 2025; 7, e202500255. https://doi-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/10.1002/adpr.202500255
2. Zhuorigebatu Tegudeer, Luke C. Davenport, Martin E. Kordesch, Wen-Yang Gao; Harnessing Mechanochemistry for Direct Synthesis of Imine-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks. Journal American Chemical Society 23 April 2025; 147 (16): 13522- 13530. https://doi-org.turing.library.northwestern.edu/10.1021/jacs.5c00460