Kyle Gluesenkamp and Piljae Im, Oak Ridge National Laboratory building technology researchers, were two of 15 scientists recognized with 2021 Distinguished Service Awards by ASHRAE, the international professional association for heating, refrigerating and air conditioning engineers. The awards recognize engineers from academia, industry and national laboratories who have provided exceptional support to the organization.
An ASHRAE member since 2010, Gluesenkamp has chaired and provided technical expertise for numerous committees focused on absorption and heat exchangers, optimization, commercial and residential water heaters, thermal storage, and optimization. He joined ORNL in 2012 and is a senior researcher and development scientist in the Multifunctional Equipment Integration Research Group focusing on energy conversion technologies, thermal storage, appliances, vapor and non-vapor compression heat pumps, dehumidification and heat pump water heating. Gluesenkamp also serves as ORNL’s subprogram manager for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, water heating and appliances and is a joint faculty associate professor at the Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, Energy Science and Engineering graduate program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition from ASHRAE, an organization that has long supported achievements in building equipment technology innovation,” Gluesenkamp said. “By serving on diverse technical committees over the past two decades, I have developed invaluable knowledge and contacts that have supported my research path at ORNL.”
Im has served as a member on several ASHRAE technical committees including geothermal heat pump and energy recovery applications, variable refrigerant flow systems, surface water heat pump systems and energy efficiency in existing buildings. He joined ASHRAE in 2000 where he served as vice president of the Texas A&M University student chapter and received the ASHRAE Student Scholarship. As a research and development scientist at ORNL in the Grid-Interactive Controls Group, Im’s work focuses on whole-building energy modeling and advanced controls in support of building technologies. His research expertise includes calibration and validation of building energy modeling, grid interactive efficient buildings and cyber physical systems security. He joined ORNL in 2009 and serves as the subprogram manager for building energy modeling and sensors and controls program. Im earned his doctorate in architecture from Texas A&M University.
“As a student, serving as a chapter president and as a scholarship recipient, ASHRAE has provided guidance and opportunities that have helped me advance my research career and further my achievements at ORNL,” Im said. “I am appreciative of this recognition and look forward to continuing my work with ASHRAE.”
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