Dr. Shawn Litster

Professor

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Biography

Shawn Litster is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, where he holds a courtesy appointment at the College of Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 2008, along with a Master of Applied Sciences and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Victoria. His current research focuses on micro- and nanoscale transport phenomena relevant to energy conversion technologies, including electrochemistry and electrokinetics, significantly impacting fuel cells, batteries, and ultra-capacitors. His research interests also encompass multiphase flow in porous media, micro-channels, non-linear dynamics, and catalytic gasification. Litster has authored over 30 journal papers and book chapters and has been recognized with several awards, including Carnegie Mellon’s George Tallman Ladd Research Award and the National Science Foundation CAREER Award. He has also been awarded patents related to fuel cell design and plays a pivotal role in advancing critical energy technologies for electrifying heavy-duty transportation using hydrogen fuel cells.

Research Interests

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.