We’ve all experienced our cellphones getting too hot or our laptops becoming noisy as they try to cool off. In fact, computer centers across the nation do the same thing, consuming almost 10 percent of the total amount of electricity generated in the US just to cover the air conditioning costs.

Dr. Baratunde Cola is an associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and focused on developing materials that can regulate heat flow, potentially having a significant impact on the energy sector.