Kashif Liaqat is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Rice University, working in the Energy Systems Lab under the supervision of Prof. Laura Schaefer. His research combines energy systems, thermal-fluid sciences, and computational modeling, with a focus on developing low-cost hybrid energy systems, advancing thermal technologies, and applying machine learning–based optimization to enhance energy efficiency and support sustainable decarbonization. Prior to Rice, he earned his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering as a Fulbright Scholar at Florida State University.
WEBSITE(S)| Kashif Liaqat Website | Energy Systems Lab
Education
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Florida State University, 2021
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering, and Management Sciences, 2018
Honors & Awards
Future Faculty Fellow, Rice University, USA 2025-26
1st Prize, Poster Competition, 2025 IEEE SusTech Conference, USA 2025
Outstanding Student-led Paper Award, ASME Energy Sustainability Conference, USA 2024
Emerging Scientist Conference Award, National Science Foundation, USA 2024
Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship, Rice University, USA 2023
Ken Kennedy Institute Industry Sponsored Fellowship, USA 2023
Outstanding Paper Award, ASME Energy Sustainability Conference, USA 2023
1st Prize, Poster Competition, 2023 IEEE SusTech Conference, USA 2023
Graduate Student Travel Award, Rice University, USA 2023
First-Year Doctoral Support Award, Rice University, USA 2022
Fulbright Award, U.S. Department of State 2019
Gold Medal (Distinction) in BS Mechanical Engineering, BUITEMS, Pakistan 2018
Full Scholarship for Undergraduate, National Testing Service, Pakistan 2014