Gary Halada

Associate Professor, Undergraduate Program Director (ESG)

Office: 308 Engineering Bldg.

Current Activities Include

Reserach Interests

To truly understand (and control) interactions between natural and human-made materials and their chemical and energetic environment, it is essential to understand reactions at the nanoscale. It is at this level, from single molecules to reactions in ultrathin layers on surfaces, that structural and chemical transformations occur which affect critical dynamic processes, such as corrosion of advanced alloys, resilience of materials for infrastructure, interaction of biomedical materials with the human body, design of responsive and programmable materials, and formation of novel functional materials for additive manufacturing (3D printing). In addition, to create the next generation of materials and technologies to solve critical problems in environmental resilience and remediation, advanced manufacturing and sustainable energy resources, we need to create new methodologies and research partnerships that will provide the necessary combination of tools, skills and knowledge for cross-disciplinary problem-solving. Hence my work involves bringing together cutting-edge analytical and materials synthesis technologies, innovative experimental design, student-focused experiential learning, and effective industry/academic/government consortia to benefit both the research and education enterprise. This inextricable connection, between research innovation and engineering education, is both a focus of my work and a basis for inspiration. Through over thirty years of education research and curriculum development, conducted in parallel with my research, I have led teams in developing undergraduate research programs in nanotechnology, exploring new models for sustainable energy education, enhancing middle school through high school STEM education, innovating design and problem solving through enhancing student tolerance for uncertainty, and motivating undergraduate learning of the broader impacts of engineering though innovative course design in engineering disasters and use of science fiction.

This work has led to over 140 publications in refereed journals and proceedings, 10 book chapters, two patents, over 3600 citations and an H-factor of 31 (as of 10/2025).

Honors & Awards

Selected as finalist for Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring 2023
Best Oral Presentation award, the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (KSCT). International Conference on Clothing and Textiles, South Korea, 2020
Membership in the National Academy of Inventors, via the Stony Brook University chapter, 2019
Travel Award, NSF Workshop on Additive Manufacturing for Civil Infrastructure Design and Construction, Arlington, VA; July 13-14, 2017.
Chosen to participate in Frontiers in Engineering Education symposium, National Academy of Engineering, 2015
State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2012
Leadership Fellow, Science Education for New Civic Engagement and Responsibility (SENCER), National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, 2012-2013
Presidential Minigrant for Departmental Diversity Initiatives, “Enhancing Recruitment and Retention of Female Students into Engineering”, 2010
Honorary Membership, Golden Key International Honor Society, November 17, 2006
John Pilkington Memorial Award for Outstanding Service, ICON 24 convention, Stony Brook University, 2005
Promising Inventor Award, from the Research Foundation of the State University of New York, 2004
Presidential Minigrant Award for Innovative Teaching Projects on Creating a Collaborative Learning Environment for Engineering Design, 1997

Education

Ph.D., Materials Science, 1993, SUNY at Stony Brook, USA
B.S. Physics, with honors, 1985, SUNY at Stony Brook, USA

Career

Associate Professor Materials Science and Engineering Stony Brook University, present.
Undergraduate Program Director Engineering Science degree program Materials Science and Engineering Stony Brook University, present.
Technical Collaborator, Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source and Center for Functional Nanomaterials, present