Associate Professor
bjlawle@clemson.edu
(864) 283-7224
4 Research Drive
Greenville, SC 29607
Lab Website
Benjamin Lawler joined the Automotive Engineering department at Clemson University in August of 2019. Prior to joining CU-ICAR, he was an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Stony Brook University since January of 2015 and a postdoctoral researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2013 to 2014. He received his doctoral and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
His research interests are centered on improving the efficiency and emissions characteristics of internal combustion engines. This includes a strong focus on the advanced, Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) strategies including HCCI, RCCI, TSCI, GCI, and others. Dr. Lawler’s research also focuses on the use of alternative and sustainable fuels such as the alcohol fuels (methanol, ethanol, and butanol), biodiesel, natural gas, and hydrogen as a potential pathway toward a net carbon-neutral transportation solution for future engine-powered vehicles. Additionally, Dr. Lawler has prior experience with, and interest in, alternative engine designs including free piston engines, opposed piston engines, and others. Finally, with all new engine combustion concepts, it is important to consider how they integrate into the vehicle as a system and the system-level interactions that result. Therefore, Dr. Lawler’s research interests also include drive-cycle modeling and simulation of various vehicle architectures, including hybrid-electric vehicle configurations, to evaluate the fuel economy benefits of each next-generation technology.
Dr. Lawler is a member of ASME and SAE and has served as an organizer for SAE World Congress and other powertrain conferences since 2014.