Dr. Sergio Paredes brings a diverse international background and technical expertise to the classroom and lab. Originally from Colombia, he began his academic journey in Industrial Automation Engineering at the University of Cauca and later earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University. His research has focused on advanced energy materials, particularly thermoelectric ceramics and solid oxide fuel cells, contributing to several peer-reviewed publications and pioneering methods for enhancing energy conversion efficiency.
At Saint Vincent College, he serves as assistant professor of engineering and director of the engineering labs, where he teaches courses in control systems, game development, and programming, while also overseeing lab operations, safety, and student training. Dr. Paredes is committed to cultivating a learning environment that is hands-on, intellectually rigorous, and grounded in purpose—equipping students to be creative, capable, and ethically minded engineers.
Education
PhD, mechanical engineering, West Virginia University BS, industrial automation engineering, University of Cauca (Colombia)
Courses
Dynamics Automatic Control Systems Game Design and Development Programming: Python
Research Interests
Dr. Paredes’s research interests lie at the intersection of advanced materials, energy systems, and control engineering. His work focuses on the development and characterization of thermoelectric materials, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and electroceramics for sustainable power generation and energy conversion. He is particularly interested in improving the thermal and electrical performance of oxide ceramics through microstructural engineering, dopant strategies, and nanostructured coatings. In addition, he explores the application of control systems and artificial intelligence techniques to enhance the functionality and efficiency of energy devices. Dr. Paredes is also drawn to interdisciplinary research that bridges materials science, automation, and robotics to create innovative solutions for modern engineering challenges.
Selected Publications
Cesar‑Octavio Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, Yun Chen, Liang Liang, Sergio A. Paredes‑Navia, Winnie K. Wong‑Ng, and Xueyan Song. Entering new era of thermoelectric oxide ceramics with high power factor through designing grain boundaries. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2023.
Y. Chen, C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, S. A. Paredes‑Navia, L. Liang, A. Hinerman, J. Prucz, M. Williams, and X. Song. Electrocatalytic surface nanoionics with strained interfaced and colossal conductivity for enhancing durability and performance of solid oxide fuel cell. Journal of Power Sources, 2022.
Y. Chen, S. A. Paredes‑Navia, C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, L. Liang, A. Fernandes, A. Hinerman, J. Prucz, M. Williams, and X. Song. Coating internal surface of porous electrode for decreasing the ohmic resistance and shifting oxygen reduction reaction pathways in solid oxide fuel cells. Journal of Power Sources, 2021.
S. A. Paredes‑Navia, L. Liang, C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, E. Gemmen, A. Fernandes, J. Prucz, Y. Chen, and X. Song. Electrical conductivity increase by order of magnitude through controlling sintering to tune hierarchical structure of oxide ceramics. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 2021.
Y. Chen, K. Gerdes, S. A. Paredes Navia, L. Liang, A. Hinerman, and X. Song. Conformal electrocatalytic surface nanoionics for accelerating high‑temperature electrochemical reactions in solid oxide fuel cells. Nano Letters, 2019.
L. Liang, C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, P. Carvilo, B. Jackson, E. Gemmen, S. A. Paredes‑Navia, J. Prucz, Y. Chen, and X. Song. Difference between transition metal cation substitution and nonstoichiometric addition on nanostructure and thermoelectric performance of complex oxide ceramics. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 2019.
Y. Chen, L. Liang, S. A. Paredes Navia, A. Hinerman, K. Gerdes, and X. Song. Synergetic interaction of additive dual nanocatalysts to accelerate oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cell cathodes. ACS Catalysis, 2019.
Y. Chen, A. Hinerman, L. Liang, K. Gerdes, S. Paredes Navia, J. Prucz, and X. Song. Conformal coating of cobalt oxide on solid oxide fuel cell cathode and resultant continuously increased oxygen reduction reaction kinetics upon operation. Journal of Power Sources, 2018.
X. Song, S. A. Paredes Navia, L. Liang, C. Boyle, C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, B. Jackson, A. Hinerman, M. Wilt, J. Prucz, and Y. Chen. Grain boundary phase segregation for dramatic improvement of the thermoelectric performance of oxide ceramics. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2018.
C. O. Romo‑De‑La‑Cruz, L. Liang, S. A. Paredes Navia, Y. Chen, J. Prucz and X. Song. Role of oversized dopant potassium on the nanostructure and thermoelectric performance of calcium cobaltite ceramics. Sustainable Energy & Fuels, 2018.
