Gary HaladaAssociate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director (ESG) Office: 308 Engineering Bldg. Stony Brook, NY Current activities include: |
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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, interaction of biomedical materials with the human body, cleanup of hazardous waste, 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 remediation, advanced manufacturing and developing 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 twenty 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, and motivating undergraduate learning of the broader impacts of engineering though innovative course design in engineering disasters and use of science fiction. |
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