03/06/2021
MUSTAFA KADDOURA
Minneapolis, MN 55414, U.S.A
Phone: 1 (612) 261-8608
kaddo004@umn.edu
EDUCATION
09/18 – Present
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Minneapolis MN, U.S.A.
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering - GPA: 3.81 / 4.00
Dissertation: Convection-Enhanced Evaporation: Modeling and Optimal Control for Modular
Cost-Effective Brine Management
Expected: September 2022
09/16 – 05/18
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon
M.E. in Mechanical Engineering - GPA: 4.00 / 4.00
Thesis: Application of Thermal Energy Storage using Point-Focus Fresnel Lens Concentrator
09/11 – 06/16
Beirut Arab University
B.E. in Mechanical Engineering - GPA: 3.93 / 4.00 (Class Rank: 1st)
Debbieh, Lebanon
HONORS & AWARDS
10/20
Winning the Innovation Contest in NREL Solar Desalination Prize
1 of 19 teams selected over 160 applicants to earn $50’000 fund to develop low-cost desalination
09/18
Ph.D. Fellowship by Mechanical Engineering Department at University of Minnesota
08/16
STEM Scholarship by Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education
1 of 170 full scholarship recipients selected from 14,500 applicants based on merit
03/14
Certificate of Achievement awarded by Beirut Arab University
Award for achieving highest standards of excellence in Mechanical Engineering Program
05/14
Dean’s Honor List 2012, 2013, 2014 at Beirut Arab University
08/11
The European Union Scholarship Fund
Full scholarship awarded for top 1% performing students in Lebanese Baccalaureate Exams
PATENT
M. F. Kaddoura and N. C. Wright, Convection-enhanced evaporation (Provisional patent application filed)
Description: A modular device and control method for brine volume reduction of desalination plants.
BOOK CHAPTER
M. F. Kaddoura, Simulation and optimization of energy systems, in: E. Zio, P. M. Pardalos, M. Fathi,
Handbook of Smart Energy Systems, Springer Nature, 2022.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
1. M. F. Kaddoura, M. Chosa, P. Bhalekar, N. C. Wright, Mathematical modeling of a modular convectionenhanced evaporation system, Desalination. 510 (2021).
2. M. F. Kaddoura and J. Zeaiter, Application of thermal energy storage with point focus Fresnel lens
concentrator: Numerical and experimental analysis, J. Energy Storage. 26 (2019).
3. M. F. Kaddoura and N. C. Wright, Cost-optimal design of convection-enhanced evaporation (CEE) using
generalized cost ratios. (In Review)
Mustafa Kaddoura
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4. E. A. Wenzel, M. F. Kaddoura, S. C. Garrick, A robust framework for the simulation of scalar transport in
turbulent spray combustion. (Submitted)
5. M. F. Kaddoura and N. C. Wright, Optimization-based control of convection-enhanced evaporation system
for energy consumption minimization. (In preparation)
6. M. F. Kaddoura and N. C. Wright, Comparative analysis of design configurations of convection-enhanced
evaporation system. (In preparation)
SCIENCE WRITING
Academic PhD Vs Industrial PhD in STEM Fields, May 2021, Higher Education Digest® magazine.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
10/21 – Present
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Golden Colorado, U.S.A
Graduate Research Intern
• Design and modeling of solar-thermal desalination in System Advisor Model (SAM)
• Heat exchangers sizing, selection, and costing for heat recovery
10/19 – Present
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Minneapolis MN, U.S.A.
Research Assistant, Ph.D. Research
• Development, modeling, and optimal control of a modular convection-enhanced brine
evaporation (CEE) system for wastewater treatment
• Developed finite difference mathematical model to simulate heat and mass transfer in
evaporation driven by air convection (Python code)
• Developed multi-objective cost optimization using genetic algorithm in MATLAB
• Developed a data-driven optimization-based operation control method
11/16 – 05/18
American University of Beirut
Beirut, Lebanon
Research Assistant, M.E. Research
• Developed thermal model to design and optimize solar cavity receiver in MATLAB
• Modeled solar irradiation using Discrete Ordinates (DO) method
• Developed a CFD simulation for the cavity receiver in ANSYS-Fluent
• Fabricated experimental setup to validate the model
• Simulated thermal energy storage process integrated with Fresnel concentrator
LEADERSHIP & TEACHING
01/19 – 01/21
06/20 – 09/20
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Minneapolis MN, U.S.A.
Teaching Assistant
• ME 5321: Solar Thermal Technologies (Graduate Course) & ME 3331: Thermodynamics
• Led bi-weekly recitation and guest lectures for 70+ undergraduate/graduate students
• Held weekly office hours to answer students’ questions
• Created discussion notes and quizzes
• Graded assignments/quizzes, prepared problem solutions and kept track of grade records
Research Mentor
• Mentored undergraduate student and guided her research internship during Summer REU
2020 program funded by NSF (Research Experience for Undergraduates)
COMPUTER SKILLS
Python,
MATLAB,
Optimization,
FORTRAN,
C,
ANSYS,
OpenFOAM,
SolidWorks,
AutoCAD.
Mustafa Kaddoura
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ATHLETICS & EXTRACURRICULAR
02/16
06/15
04/15
12/14
1st Place in BAU Power Lifting Tournament
Beirut Arab University
rd
3 Place in South Lebanon Bodybuilding Championship
Lebanon
th
17 Engineering Projects Day
Beirut Arab University
Presented new approach for underfloor heating by utilizing micro-channels technology
Lebanese Industrial Research Achievements (LIRA 11th)
Beirut, Lebanon
Designed thermoelectric generator to harvest waste energy