
Professor Gary P. Halada
To truly understand interactions between the environment and natural and human-made materials,
it is essential to understand reactions at the nanoscale. It is at this level, from single
molecules to ultra-thin films on surfaces, that structural and chemical transformations first
occur which affect critical environmental processes, such as corrosion of advanced alloys,
association of hazardous waste with soil or buildings, and transformation of radioactive
materials by microbes. In addition, to create the next generation of materials and technologies
to solve critical environmental problems we need to create new methodologies and research
partnerships that will provide the necessary combination of tools, software and knowledge for
cross-disciplinary problem-solving. |