Michael P. Burke

Michael P. Burke

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Michael P. Burke unravels and quantifies the fundamental reactivity of gases relevant to energy conversion and atmospheres of Earth and other planets.

He creates computational methods that capture both the molecular interactions invisible to the eye and macroscopic phenomena responsible for engineering design performance.

He also develops methods for autonomous scientific inquiry that blur the line between computers and experiments and accelerate scientific progress. A particular emphasis is the creation of predictive computer models for fuel oxidation that enable design of future combustion engines to meet growing needs for renewable fuels, improved air quality, and cost-effective energy solutions.

Burke’s data-driven chemical models combine experimental and theoretical data across multiple scales to produce highly accurate predictions with quantified uncertainties. He also develops fundamental chemical theories for reactions taking place in realistic mixtures, where the high concentrations of reactive molecules invalidate traditional chemical theories based on pure inert substances. Models, codes, and data developed by Burke and coworkers are used by others for a variety of applications, ranging from computing the performance of energy conversion devices engines to predicting the fate of compounds in the troposphere.

In his path to solving problems, Burke has traversed a range of disciplines across engineering, physical sciences, and data science. Burke earned his BS in mechanical engineering in 2005 at the Pennsylvania State University and PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 2011 at Princeton University, where he was a Wallace Memorial Fellow and Princeton Energy and Climate Scholar. He then joined the Chemical Sciences and Engineering division of Argonne National Laboratory as a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow. At Columbia, he is an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering and holds affiliations in Chemical Engineering and the Data Science Institute. In 2015, he received the Doctoral New Investigator award from the American Chemical Society.

Research Areas

  • Energy Systems
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Heat Transfer
  • Energy Harvesting (Conversion) and Storage

Additional Information

  • Professional Experience
    • Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University (2020-present)
    • Affiliated Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University (2020-present)
    • Affiliated Member of the Data Science Institute, Columbia University (2020-present)
    • Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University (2014-2020)
    • Affiliated Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University (2014-2020)
    • Affiliated Member of the Data Science Institute, Columbia University (2014-2020)
  • Professional Affiliations
    • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
    • American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
    • American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Honors & Awards
    • Invited Headline Speaker for the Faraday Discussion on Unimolecular Reactions (2022)
    • Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award from the Combustion Institute (2021)
    • National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2020)
    • Research Excellence Award from the Combustion Institute (2020)
    • Doctoral New Investigator Award from the American Chemical Society PRF (2016-2018)
    • Director’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory (2011-2013)
    • Wallace Memorial Fellowship (2009-2010)
    • Princeton Energy and Climate Scholars Fellowship (2008-2010)
  • Education
    • PhD, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
    • BS, Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University