Liam Caldwell

Liam Caldwell grew up in what he refers to as “a world-renowned beauty” — Hawai’i.

To protect his motherland’s beauty, Caldwell pursued mechanical engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University to study renewable energy research. Even though he was motivated by his aspirations, he sometimes questioned whether engineering was the right path for him — until he took a thermodynamics class.

“At the time, it was the hardest class I’d taken at ASU, but it was also the most fun,” he says.

Throughout the four years he spent at ASU, Caldwell applied himself and seized opportunities.

After witnessing the impact of disasters like the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, which were intensified by climate change, he felt a renewed urgency to contribute to environmental solutions. He applied for a research position at the ASU LightWorks lab at ASU.

There, he collaborated with a doctoral student to develop a reactor prototype for multi-day thermochemical energy storage — a technology that helps store renewable energy, making solar and wind power more reliable and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. These types of storage solutions can help protect places like Hawai’i from climate-driven disasters.

“My design enhancements for the prototype have facilitated smoother operation,” he says. “The process of designing, testing and implementing a solution to a problem is incredibly satisfying when it actually works.”

Originally from Hawai’i, Caldwell participated in the Akamai Workforce Initiative, a program focused on connecting students with workforce roles in the state. He worked as a member of the opto-mechanical team for Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, which is claimed to be the most powerful solar telescope in the world.

“I helped rebuild the team’s MATLAB code base so it could handle more data channels,” he says. “At the end of the program, I presented my work at a statewide symposium to industry professionals and researchers.”

Through a German Academic Exchange Service internship, Caldwell conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment of various alternative energy sources for use in heavy-duty transport vehicles.

Despite being a mechanical engineer, Caldwell was an executive board member for the ASU American Society of Civil Engineers, or ASCE.

“I help organize and attend volunteer efforts, including ASU’s Open Door events and outreach initiatives, to foster local interest in engineering,” he says. “I am grateful for the community ASCE has helped me build.”

Caldwell plans to further his mechanical engineering education by pursuing a doctoral program at the University of California, Davis, as a Eugene Cota-Robles Fellow.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned during my time at ASU and formally contribute to the field of climate research,” he says.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2025 class here.