Project Title: Project Z-Freeze, HTGAA 2026: Individual Final Project Documentation Section 1: Abstract Project Z-Freeze explores whether engineered variants of the Ice Nucleation Protein (InaZ) can be computationally designed and optimized to improve controlled freezing behavior for potential use in biohybrid thermal management systems. Data centers require large amounts of energy for cooling, and many existing cooling systems rely on resource-intensive or environmentally challenging approaches. Biological phase-change systems may provide an alternative strategy for improving thermal energy management. This project focuses on InaZ, an ice nucleation protein naturally produced by Pseudomonas syringae, which promotes freezing at relatively high sub-zero temperatures by organizing water molecules into ice-forming structures.