Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D., was recently honored with the EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Explorers Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions. An associate professor of mechanical engineering in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern University, Cesmeci was one of only 10 individuals across the United States to earn the award.
“My students encouraged me to participate,” Cesmeci said. “The main focus for this award is teaching, so I explained my background in this field and translated how my experience and my students’ successes would make me an ideal fit for this opportunity to increase emphasis on energy innovation at Georgia Southern.”
The Faculty Explorers Award comes with a $5,000 prize and honors faculty members who bridge the gap between technical expertise and practical applications of energy engineering through innovation and commercialization. For Cesmeci, this achievement aligns with his drive to empower the next generation of engineers and technology developers.
“This recognition is especially meaningful to me as it represents the intersection of my passions for teaching and research,” Cesmeci said. “Over the years, I have integrated student training into my research, which has led to numerous student successes and awards.”
Since joining Georgia Southern in fall 2019, Cesmeci has worked to establish himself as a transformative educator and researcher. His teaching philosophy emphasizes preparation, student engagement, innovative teaching methodologies, real-life application and continuous self-improvement – leaving a lasting impact on his students.
“I am passionate about what I do and will continue in this direction regardless of awards, but this recognition is another confirmation and validation that my work here is important,” Cesmeci said. “While I’m proud to have been honored, I think that this award is equally important for representing Georgia Southern on a national stage.”
Cesmeci has previously been recognized for research excellence at Georgia Southern with the 2023-2024 Georgia Southern University Award of Excellence in Faculty Discovery and Innovation and the 2022-2023 Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing Faculty Award for Scholarship.
In his research, Cesmeci focuses on high-risk, high-reward technologies in the energy and healthcare industries. As a sole principal investigator, he has contributed to projects with funding exceeding $1.7 million from organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force and diabetes research and advocacy organization Breakthrough T1D.
“I am deeply grateful to the DOE and all of our funders for their support and for encouraging the cultivation of the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers,” Cesmeci said.
