The NanoEarth Team

Mitsuhiro Murayama

Director
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Research Interests:
Nanoscale materials characterization using analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques.

F. Marc Michel

Deputy Director
Associate Professor, Geosciences

Division Leader, Nanoscience

Research Interests:
Understanding how the atomic structure of nanosized and nanostructured materials, both natural and synthetic, relate to their physicochemical properties, reactivity, stability, and transformations and how these factors influence their roles in environmental systems.

Michael F. Hochella, Jr.

Director of User Development
University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Geosciences

Research Interests:
Elucidating the role that nanoscience and mineral surface geochemistry/ biogeochemistry plays in major aspects of the earth sciences, including especially environmental issues and biogeochemical cycling of the elements.

Charis Horn

NanoEarth Instrument Specialist

NanoEarth Role:
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

Matthew Hull

Associate Director, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
NCFL Facility Director

NanoEarth Role:
Interfaces with industrial users, established Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Challenge (NTEC), serves as NanoEarth's entrepreneur-in-residence.

Bipin Lade

NanoEarth Postdoctoral Associate

NanoEarth Role:
Developing partnerships with researchers from non-traditional fields in nanoscience/technology, especially in geosciences, environmental sciences, water and soil sciences, agricultural sciences, and related fields. Developing sampling protocols for nanoscale characterization and conducting center-initiated research.

Weinan Leng

Laboratory Director, Kelly Hall 230
NanoEarth/NCFL Instrument Specialist

NanoEarth Role:
Management of Kelly Hall 230 Laboratory, technical expertise with Raman, AFM, DLS, HPLC, and UV-Vis.

Linsey Marr

Technical Assoc. Director
Charles P. Lunsford Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interests:
Quantifying sources, transformations, and fate of pollutants in the atmosphere, including engineered nanomaterials. Applying these same approaches to study viruses and airborne transmission of infectious disease.

Stephen McCartney

NCFL Instrument Specialist

Primary Role:
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Micrscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Micrscopy (AFM), Microtoming.

Amy Pruden

Technical Assoc. Director
W. Thomas Rice Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Associate Dean and Director of Interdisciplinary Graduate Education, Graduate School

Research Interests:
Applied environmental microbiology, antibiotic resistance genes as emerging contaminants, opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing, environmental implications of nanotechnology, biomolecular tools, sustainable water infrastructure, microbiome of the built environment.

Tonya Pruitt

NanoEarth Assistant Director

NanoEarth Role:
Tonya is the initial contact for NanoEarth visitors and serves as a liaison with center staff. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of NanoEarth.

Bill Reynolds

Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

Research Interests:
Physical metallurgy, phase transformations, thermodynamics, microscopy.

Madeline E. Schreiber

Professor of Hydrogeosciences and Associate Department Head, Geosciences

Research Interests:
Hydrogeology, contaminant transport in aquifers, trace element cycling in natural waters, karst hydrology.

Susette Sowers

NCFL Accounts and Building Access

Primary Role:
Susette manages billing for work completed at the NCFL for NanoEarth users. She also works with NanoEarth grant recipients to make travel arrangments.

Sylvianne Velasquez

NanoEarth Diversity and Outreach Coordinator

NanoEarth Role:
Leading the Multicultural and Underserved Nanoscience Initiative (MUNI) and NanoEarth's other education and outreach activities.

Peter Vikesland

Technical Assoc. Director
Nick Prillaman Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interests:
Development of nanomaterial enabled sensing technologies for abiotic and biotic environmental contaminant detection. Expertise in environmentally friendly nanomaterial synthesis and characterization.