In the context of developing mini-solar panels for inexpensive residential use, the area of engineering that is MOST essential to Tasmina's work is thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics is crucial for understanding energy transfer, conversion, and efficiency, all of which are important when designing solar panels to optimize their performance in converting sunlight into usable energy. While mathematics is also important for calculations and modeling, thermodynamics specifically addresses the principles that govern energy systems like solar panels.