Kunal Mondal is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida and a core faculty member of the Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research (CATER). He is also a licensed professional engineer in Idaho. Mondal received his doctorate in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and completed postdoctoral research at North Carolina State University and Florida Atlantic University before joining the U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory system. Before joining UCF, he served as a nuclear fuel cycle engineer/scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and previously as a staff scientist at Idaho National Laboratory.

Mondal’s research integrates mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and materials science, nuclear engineering, and sustainable energy systems to develop next-generation technologies for nuclear, aerospace and clean energy applications. His research interests include advanced nuclear materials, additive manufacturing, digital twins, artificial intelligence for engineering, hydrogen technologies, radiation detection, intelligent sensing, structural health monitoring and advanced reactor systems, with an emphasis on translating fundamental materials science into practical engineering solutions. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, holds multiple U.S. patents, and has served as principal investigator and co-principal investigator on multidisciplinary research projects sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ARPA-E, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) and industry. His research aims to develop resilient materials, nuclear materials and fuels, advanced radiation shielding, intelligent sensing technologies, and advanced manufacturing solutions that enhance the safety, security, reliability, and sustainability of future energy systems while educating and mentoring the next generation of engineers and researchers.