Kripa K. Varanasi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He received his B.Tech from IIT Madras, India and his SM (ME and EECS) and Ph.D from MIT. Prior to joining MIT as a faculty member, Prof. Varanasi was a lead researcher and project leader at the GE Global Research Center.

His work focuses on understanding the physico-chemical phenomena at interfaces and developing novel materials, devices, and products that can dramatically enhance performance in energy, water, agriculture, transportation, medical, and consumer devices. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and has co-founded multiple companies such as AgZen, LiquiGlide, DropWise, and Infinite Cooling to translate the technologies from his lab to market. Time and Forbes Magazines have named LiquiGlide to their “Best Inventions of the Year”.

Prof. Varanasi has received various awards for his work including NSF Career Award, DARPA Young Faculty Award, SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, ASME Bergles-Rohsenow Heat Transfer Award, Boston Business Journal’s 40 under 40, DOE’s National Cleantech University Prize, MIT 100K Award, ASME Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award for outstanding achievements in mechanical engineering, and MIT Graduate Student Council’s Frank E. Perkins Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising.