Shima Hajimirza
Associate Professor
Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Education
- PhD (2013) The University of Texas at Austin (Mechanical Engineering)
- MS (2010) California Institute of Technology (Bioengineering)
- MS (2009) Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Mechanical Engineering)
Research
Thermal Fluid Sciences
Radiation Heat Transfer
Inverse Problems
Data-Driven Modeling and Design
Energy Resiliency and Sustainability
Machine Learning/AI-based Modeling and Optimization
Modeling Energy Transfer in Complex Media
Energy Conversion at Nanoscale
System Optimization and Control
Digital Twins for Energy Systems
Radiation Heat Transfer
Inverse Problems
Data-Driven Modeling and Design
Energy Resiliency and Sustainability
Machine Learning/AI-based Modeling and Optimization
Modeling Energy Transfer in Complex Media
Energy Conversion at Nanoscale
System Optimization and Control
Digital Twins for Energy Systems
General Information
Dr. Hajimirza is the director of Energy, Control, and Optimization (ECOlab) lab at Stevens Institute of Technology. Dr. Hajimirza’s expertise spans thermal fluid sciences, radiation heat transfer, data-driven modeling and design, and the study of energy transfer in complex media. She also specializes in Machine Learning and AI-based modeling and optimization, with applications in nanomaterials, nanotechnology, and bioengineering. With over 90 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Journal of Solar Energy, and IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, her work has attracted significant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and industrial partners including Qualcomm, Emerson, and Chevron. Among her accolades is the prestigious NSF CAREER Award, recognizing her groundbreaking contributions to computational modeling of radiation heat transfer in porous media.
Experience
Associate Professor, Sept. 2024-Present
Stevens Institute of Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Sept. 2020-Sept. 2024
Stevens Institute of Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Jan. 2016-August 2020
Texas A&M University
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Stevens Institute of Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Sept. 2020-Sept. 2024
Stevens Institute of Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Jan. 2016-August 2020
Texas A&M University
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Institutional Service
- Graduate study committee Member
- AI in ME curriculum Task Force Committee Member
- Faculty search committee Member
- Thermal/Fluid PhD. qualifying exam committee (RCT) Chair
- Thermodynamics PhD. qualifying exam committee (CCT) Member
Professional Service
- Mamber of American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME)
- American Society of Thermal Fluid Science at ASTFE Chair of Education and Ethics Technical Committee
- ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE)2024 Session Chair and Organizer
- ASME K-23 Committee in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Member
- American Society of Thermal Fluid Science (ASTFE)- Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC) 2024 Conference session chair and Organizer
- ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE)2023 Session Chair and Organizer
- ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference (SHTC) 2023 Session Chair and Organizer
- American Society of Thermal Fluid Science Conference session chair
- American Society of Thermal Fluid Science (ASTFE)- Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (TFEC) 2023 Conference session chair and Organizer
- ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition (IMECE)2022 Session Chair and Track chair
- U.S. Department of Energy Proposal reviewer and Panelist
Appointments
1. Associate Editor of Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, October 2024-Present.
2. Chair of the American Society of Thermal Fluid Engineers (ASTFE) Ethics and Education Technical Committee, March 2023-Present.
3. Chair of K-20 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Computational Heat Transfer Committee, June 2021-June 2024.
4. Co-Chair of K-20 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Computational Heat Transfer Committee, June 2018-June 2021.
5. Member of ASME K-6 Committee in Heat Transfer in Energy Systems, June 2016-Present.
6. Member of ASME K-23 Committee in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), June 2019-Present.
7. Member of ASME, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conversion (REEC) Technical Committee, 2017-Present.
2. Chair of the American Society of Thermal Fluid Engineers (ASTFE) Ethics and Education Technical Committee, March 2023-Present.
3. Chair of K-20 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Computational Heat Transfer Committee, June 2021-June 2024.
4. Co-Chair of K-20 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Computational Heat Transfer Committee, June 2018-June 2021.
5. Member of ASME K-6 Committee in Heat Transfer in Energy Systems, June 2016-Present.
6. Member of ASME K-23 Committee in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), June 2019-Present.
7. Member of ASME, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conversion (REEC) Technical Committee, 2017-Present.
Honors and Awards
NSF CAREER Award, January 2024
ASME Rising Star in Mechanical Engineering Award, November 2024
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fellow, July 2024
Harvey N. Davis Distinguished Teaching Award, May 2024
TEES James J. Cain Graduate Teaching Award, March 2018
NSF Travel Award, May 2017
ASME Rising Star in Mechanical Engineering Award, November 2024
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fellow, July 2024
Harvey N. Davis Distinguished Teaching Award, May 2024
TEES James J. Cain Graduate Teaching Award, March 2018
NSF Travel Award, May 2017
Professional Societies
- ASME – ASME K-23 committee member in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Member
- ASME – Member of ASME, Renewable Energy and Energy Conversion (REEC) technical Committee Member
- ASTFE – Member of Active member of Heat Transfer Committee at ASTFE Member
- ASME – ASME K-6 committee member in Computational Heat Transfer Member
- ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Member
- ASTFE – Chair of American Society of Thermal Fluids Engineers(ASTFE) committee in Ethics and Education Senior member
Grants, Contracts and Funds
“CAREER: Precise Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Validation of Radiation Heat Transfer in Complex Porous Media Using Analytical Renewal Theory Abstraction-Regressions”, National Science Foundation (NSF), $519,309, January 2024-January 2029.
“Coupled Surrogate Model Stability and Error Estimation for Heat Transfer Problems”, US Department of Energy (DOE)- Sandia National Lab, $119,972, January 2024- October 2025, Sole PI.
“Net Zero and Resilience Applications for the Army’s Industrial Base Facilities”, US Department of Defense (DOD), $3,349,284.18, January 2023-December 2025, Co-PI.
“Resiliency of Energy Resources and Supply Chain for Energetics Industrial Base”, US Department of Defense (DOD), $2,877,032.00, October 2022- September 2024, Co-PI.
“Enhancing Quantum Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells via Joint Characterization of Radiation and Recombination”, National Science Foundation (NSF), $405,615, September 2019-August 2024, Sole PI.
“EAGER: Predictive Surrogate Modeling and Analysis of Radiative Heat Transfer in Porous Media”, National Science Foundation (NSF), $165,812, June 2019-December 2022, Sole PI.
“High-Rate Energetic Processing of Wastes, Soils, and Sediments”, Chevron, $380,000.00, November 2018-December 2019, Co-PI.
“Evaporation Cooling of Mobile Systems: A Co-Design Investigation for Optimizing”, Qualcomm Inc., $80,000.00, November 2018-December 2019, Sole PI.
“Steady-State Thermal Modeling and Value Analysis of Commercial Chiller System with Oil-Free Variable Speed Centrifugal Compressor”, Emerson Inc., $87,000.00, June 2018-September 2019, PI.
“Efficient and Optimal Control of Solar Modules via Prediction of Supply and Demand Under Real-World Environmental Uncertainties”, $50,000.00, June 2018-December 2019, Texas A&M Energy Institute, PI.
“Harvesting Light with Nanostructured Antennas for Solar Fuel Generation”, $37,000.00, April 2018-March 2020 TAMU T3 grant, PI.
“Optimization and Prediction Modeling of Solar Module Under Real-World Environmental Uncertainties”, $10,000.00, April 2018-March 2020 TAMU-FAPESP grant, Sole PI.
“Coupled Surrogate Model Stability and Error Estimation for Heat Transfer Problems”, US Department of Energy (DOE)- Sandia National Lab, $119,972, January 2024- October 2025, Sole PI.
“Net Zero and Resilience Applications for the Army’s Industrial Base Facilities”, US Department of Defense (DOD), $3,349,284.18, January 2023-December 2025, Co-PI.
“Resiliency of Energy Resources and Supply Chain for Energetics Industrial Base”, US Department of Defense (DOD), $2,877,032.00, October 2022- September 2024, Co-PI.
“Enhancing Quantum Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells via Joint Characterization of Radiation and Recombination”, National Science Foundation (NSF), $405,615, September 2019-August 2024, Sole PI.
“EAGER: Predictive Surrogate Modeling and Analysis of Radiative Heat Transfer in Porous Media”, National Science Foundation (NSF), $165,812, June 2019-December 2022, Sole PI.
“High-Rate Energetic Processing of Wastes, Soils, and Sediments”, Chevron, $380,000.00, November 2018-December 2019, Co-PI.
“Evaporation Cooling of Mobile Systems: A Co-Design Investigation for Optimizing”, Qualcomm Inc., $80,000.00, November 2018-December 2019, Sole PI.
“Steady-State Thermal Modeling and Value Analysis of Commercial Chiller System with Oil-Free Variable Speed Centrifugal Compressor”, Emerson Inc., $87,000.00, June 2018-September 2019, PI.
“Efficient and Optimal Control of Solar Modules via Prediction of Supply and Demand Under Real-World Environmental Uncertainties”, $50,000.00, June 2018-December 2019, Texas A&M Energy Institute, PI.
“Harvesting Light with Nanostructured Antennas for Solar Fuel Generation”, $37,000.00, April 2018-March 2020 TAMU T3 grant, PI.
“Optimization and Prediction Modeling of Solar Module Under Real-World Environmental Uncertainties”, $10,000.00, April 2018-March 2020 TAMU-FAPESP grant, Sole PI.
Patents and Inventions
Hajimirza, Shima, “Complexity-Reduced First Order Optimization Method for High- Dimensional Problems,” US provisional patent filed, 2015, serial number 62/113, 203.
Hajimirza, Shima, and John R. Howell, “Method for Designing Nano-Structures Having a Desired Physical Characteristic,” US provisional patent filed, 2013 Serial Number 61/818, 644.
Hajimirza, Shima, and John R. Howell, “Method for Designing Nano-Structures Having a Desired Physical Characteristic,” US provisional patent filed, 2013 Serial Number 61/818, 644.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications:
1. Tabassum, Farhin*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Enhancing Computational Efficiency in Porous Media Analysis: Integrating Machine Learning with Monte Carlo Ray Tracing,” Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications 16.10 (2024):101003.
2. Tabassum, Farhin*, Amirsaman Eghtesad*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Predicting Light-Matter Interaction in Semi-Transparent Elliptical Packed Beds-A Hybrid Deep Learning (HDL) Approach,” Results in Engineering Journal 19 (2023): 101368.
3. Eghtesad, Amirsaman*, Farhin Tabassum*, and Shima Hajimirza, “A generalized characterization of radiative properties of porous media using engineered features and artificial neural network,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 205 (2023): 123890.
4. Shima Hajimirza, “Precise Derivation of Radiative Properties of Porous Media Using Renewal Theory,” Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 310 (2023): 108709.
5. Erturk, Hakan, Kyle Daun, Francis H.R. Franca, Shima Hajimirza, and John R. Howell, “Inverse Methods in Thermal Radiation Analysis and Experiment,” ASME Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 145.5 (2023): 050801.
6. Eghtesad, Amirsaman*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Engineered Features and Artificial Neural Networks for the Identification of Temperature-Dependent Radiative Characteristics in Porous Media,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 217 (2023): 124742.
7. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Estimating Radiation Scattering Around Plasmonic Nanowires Using Engineered Geometric Features,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1-35(2022).
8. Lopes, Sofia*, Elmer Cari, and Shima Hajimirza, “A Comparative Analysis of Artificial Neural Networks for Photovoltaic Power Forecast Using Remotes and Local Measurements,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering 144, no. 2 (2022).
9. Hajimirza, Shima, and Hussein Sharadga*, “Learning Thermal Radiative Properties of Porous Media from Engineering Geometric Features,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 179 (2021): 121668.
10. Kim, Hansol*, Mine Kaya*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Broadband Solar Distributed Bragg Reflector Design Using Numerical Optimization,” Journal of Solar Energy 221 (2021): 384-392.
11. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Nonparametric Design of Nanoparticles with Maximum Scattering Using Evolutionary Topology Optimization,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 166 (2021): 120738.
12. Sharadga, Hussein*, Shima Hajimirza, and Robert S. Balog, “Time Series Forecasting of Solar Power Generation for Large-Scale Photovoltaic Plants,” Renewable Energy 150 (2020): 797-807.
13. Kang, Hyun Hee*, Mine Kaya*, and Shima Hajimirza, “A Data-Driven Artificial Neural Network Model for Predicting Radiative Properties of Metallic Packed Beds,” Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 226(2019): 66-72.
14. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Using a Novel Transfer Learning Method for
Designing Thin Film Solar Cells with Enhanced Quantum Efficiencies,” Nature, Scientific reports 9, no. 1 (2019): 5034.
15. Shafi, Aliakbar*, Hussein Sharadga*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Design of Optimal Power Point Tracking Controller Using Forecasted Photovoltaic Power and Demand,” IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy 11, no. 3 (2019): 1820-1828.
16. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Rapid Optimization of External Quantum Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells Using Surrogate Modeling of Absorptivity,” Nature, Scientific reports 8, no. 1 (2018): 8170.
1. Tabassum, Farhin*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Enhancing Computational Efficiency in Porous Media Analysis: Integrating Machine Learning with Monte Carlo Ray Tracing,” Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications 16.10 (2024):101003.
2. Tabassum, Farhin*, Amirsaman Eghtesad*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Predicting Light-Matter Interaction in Semi-Transparent Elliptical Packed Beds-A Hybrid Deep Learning (HDL) Approach,” Results in Engineering Journal 19 (2023): 101368.
3. Eghtesad, Amirsaman*, Farhin Tabassum*, and Shima Hajimirza, “A generalized characterization of radiative properties of porous media using engineered features and artificial neural network,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 205 (2023): 123890.
4. Shima Hajimirza, “Precise Derivation of Radiative Properties of Porous Media Using Renewal Theory,” Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 310 (2023): 108709.
5. Erturk, Hakan, Kyle Daun, Francis H.R. Franca, Shima Hajimirza, and John R. Howell, “Inverse Methods in Thermal Radiation Analysis and Experiment,” ASME Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 145.5 (2023): 050801.
6. Eghtesad, Amirsaman*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Engineered Features and Artificial Neural Networks for the Identification of Temperature-Dependent Radiative Characteristics in Porous Media,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 217 (2023): 124742.
7. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Estimating Radiation Scattering Around Plasmonic Nanowires Using Engineered Geometric Features,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1-35(2022).
8. Lopes, Sofia*, Elmer Cari, and Shima Hajimirza, “A Comparative Analysis of Artificial Neural Networks for Photovoltaic Power Forecast Using Remotes and Local Measurements,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering 144, no. 2 (2022).
9. Hajimirza, Shima, and Hussein Sharadga*, “Learning Thermal Radiative Properties of Porous Media from Engineering Geometric Features,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 179 (2021): 121668.
10. Kim, Hansol*, Mine Kaya*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Broadband Solar Distributed Bragg Reflector Design Using Numerical Optimization,” Journal of Solar Energy 221 (2021): 384-392.
11. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Nonparametric Design of Nanoparticles with Maximum Scattering Using Evolutionary Topology Optimization,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 166 (2021): 120738.
12. Sharadga, Hussein*, Shima Hajimirza, and Robert S. Balog, “Time Series Forecasting of Solar Power Generation for Large-Scale Photovoltaic Plants,” Renewable Energy 150 (2020): 797-807.
13. Kang, Hyun Hee*, Mine Kaya*, and Shima Hajimirza, “A Data-Driven Artificial Neural Network Model for Predicting Radiative Properties of Metallic Packed Beds,” Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 226(2019): 66-72.
14. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Using a Novel Transfer Learning Method for
Designing Thin Film Solar Cells with Enhanced Quantum Efficiencies,” Nature, Scientific reports 9, no. 1 (2019): 5034.
15. Shafi, Aliakbar*, Hussein Sharadga*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Design of Optimal Power Point Tracking Controller Using Forecasted Photovoltaic Power and Demand,” IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy 11, no. 3 (2019): 1820-1828.
16. Kaya, Mine*, and Shima Hajimirza, “Rapid Optimization of External Quantum Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells Using Surrogate Modeling of Absorptivity,” Nature, Scientific reports 8, no. 1 (2018): 8170.
Courses
ME 234: Mechanical Engineering Thermodynamics
ME 618: Principles of Energy Conversion and Renewable Energy
ME 610: Machine Learning Based Optimization for Mechanical
ME 618: Principles of Energy Conversion and Renewable Energy
ME 610: Machine Learning Based Optimization for Mechanical