Rate My Professor Leela Arava

Leela Arava is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Engineering at Wayne State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India, in 2007, an M.Sc. in Physics from Sri Venkateswara University, India, in 2001, and a B.Sc. in Physics from the same institution in 1999. His professional career began with postdoctoral training in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2008, followed by postdoctoral work and a Research Scientist position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University from 2008 to 2013. Arava joined Wayne State University in 2013 as an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018, to Professor in 2022, and appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies effective February 2023. He has served as Graduate Program Director for Mechanical Engineering, represented the College of Engineering on the Academic Senate since 2017, chaired the College of Engineering Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, and participated in numerous university committees including the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and Review Advisory Panel for Academic Program Review. Arava also serves as Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage.

Arava's research focuses on energy conversion and storage, including lithium-ion, lithium-sulfur, and lithium-air batteries using novel electrolytes, growth and applications of 2D and 3D nanostructures, lightweight nanocomposite materials, flexible integrated energy devices, supercapacitors, fuel cells, electrocatalysis, hydrogen storage, biosensors, and electrochemical actuators. Leading the Arava Research Group, he has developed high-energy and safe batteries for electric vehicles, high-temperature micro-batteries for power micro-sensors, and flexible hybrid energy devices for wearable technologies. His contributions include over 110 peer-reviewed international journal articles, two book chapters, and 16 patents, with publications cited more than 14,000 times and an h-index of 48. Key publications feature “Depth-Dependent Understanding of Cathode Electrolyte Interphase (CEI) on the Layered Li-Ion Cathodes Operated at Extreme High Temperature” (Chemistry of Materials, 2022), “Mixed Cationic and Anionic Redox in Ni and Co Free Chalcogen-based Cathode Chemistry for Li-ion Batteries” (Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021), “Inhibition of Lithium Dendrite Formation in Lithium Metal Batteries via Regulated Cation Transport through Ultrathin Sub-Nanometer Porous Carbon Nanomembranes” (Advanced Energy Materials, 2021), and “Nanoscale Visualization of Reversible Redox Pathways in Lithium-Sulfur Battery Using In Situ AFM-SECM” (Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2022). Arava has secured over $5 million in extramural funding since 2013, including the NSF CAREER Award, and delivered more than 60 invited talks and seminars. His honors include the Wayne State University Academy of Scholars Junior Faculty Award (2018), Research Excellence Award and Excellence in Teaching Award from the College of Engineering (2018), American Chemical Society Doctoral New Investigator Award (2016), and Emerging Investigators Award from Materials Research Express (2017).