faculty.Mark Wiesner

Mark R. Wiesner, Professor

Wiesner's research interests include membrane processes, nanostructured materials, transport and fate of nanomaterials in the environment, colloidal and interfacial processes, and environmental systems analysis.

Education

• Post-Doctoral Studies, Chemical Engineering Sciences Laboratory, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Industries Chimiques, (ENSIC) Nancy, France 1986-87
• Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 1985
• M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1980
• B.A. Mathematics/Biology, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1978

Professional Experience

• Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 2006 - present.
• Director, Environmental and Energy Systems Institute, Rice University
• Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
• Associate Dean of Engineering, George R. Brown School of Engineering, Rice University, 1998 - 2001.
• Visiting Professor and Research Scientist, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Environmental Geosciences Laboratory (CEREGE), University of Aix-Marseille III, Aix-en-Provence, France 1999-2000.
• Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 1993 - 1997.
• Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 1988 - 1993.
• Visiting Professor, Institut für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft (Institute for Municipal Water Management), University of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany, 1991.
• Principal Engineer, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Environmental Engineers, Paramus, New Jersey, 1988.
• Senior Project Engineer, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Environmental Engineers, Paramus, New Jersey, 1987.
• Research Scientist, Research Center, Lyonnaise des Eaux, Le Pecq, France, 1985 - 1987.
• Lecturer, The Johns Hopkins University, 1984.
• Research Assistant, The Johns Hopkins University, 1980 - 1984.
• Water Quality Modeler, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, Rockville, Maryland, 1981.
• Research Assistant, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1978 - 1980.
  

Sample Publications [complete publication list]

Cortalezzi, M.M., V. Colvin and M.R. Wiesner. “Controlling nanoparticle template morphology: effect of solvent chemistry,” Colloid and Interface Science, in press.

Lecoanet, H., J.Y. Bottero, and M.R. Wiesner, “Laboratory assessment of the mobility of several commercial nanomaterials in porous media,” Environmental Science and Technology, 38(19), 5164-5169, 2004.

Lecoanet, H. and M.R. Wiesner, “Velocity Effects on the deposition of fullerene and oxide nanoparticles in porous media,” Environmental Science and Technology, 38(16), 4377-4382, 2004.

Wiesner, M.R., H. Lecoanet, and M. Cortalezzi, “Nanomaterials, Sustainability, and Risk Minimization, Water Treatment Technology, in press.

Pickering, K. and Wiesner, M. R., “Fullerol-sensitized production of reactive oxygen species in aqueous solution,” Environmental Science and Technology, 39(5), 1359-1365, 2005.

Tarabara, V., Wiesner, M.R. “Physical characteristics of semipermeable barriers created from bentonite-cement composites for in situ capping of contaminated underwater sediments,” Water Research, accepted.

Honors and Awards

• Phi Beta Kappa, 1978.
• National Science Foundation Undergraduate Investigator, 1978.
• J.J. Barr Award of the National Association of Water Companies, 1985.
• National Science Foundation Research Initiation Award, 1989-1991.
• Association of Environmental Engineering Professors AWWA invited lecturer, 1993.
• Rudolph Hering Medal, Environmental Engineering Division, ASCE, 1995.
• Charles Duncan Award for Scholarship and Teaching, Rice University, 1998.
• North American Membrane Society, Student Research Award (Vladimir Tarabara), 2003.
• AIChE Graduate Research Award for Membrane-Based Separations (Vladimir Tarabara), 2003.
• Pierre de Fermat Laureate and Chair of Excellence, French National Polytechnic Institute, Toulouse, 2004
• AEESP Frontiers in Research Award, 2004

Professional Societies

• American Chemical Society
• Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Water Works Association
• International Water Association
• North American Membrane Society

Professional and Service Activities

• Associate Editor, Environmental Engineering Sciences
• Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, 1993-1999.
• Rreviewer, Environmental Science and Technology
• Reviewer, Journal of Membrane Science
• Reviewer, Water Research
• Reviewer, Journal American Water Works Association
• Reviewer, Colloid and Interface Science
• Reviewer, Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research
• Gubernatorial Appointee, Texas Council on Environmental Technology, 2000 – 2004.
• Scientific Advisory Board Member, European Center for Geosciences and Environment, Aix-en-Provence, France, 2003-present
• Board Member, Brita Water Research Foundation, 2004-present.
• Foresight Advisory Board, Suez-Environnement, Paris, France, 2004-present.
• Rapporteur, French Ministry of Research and Education, 2002.
• Consultant, USEPA Science Advisory Board, 1999.
• Scientific Advisory Board Member, International Center for Water, Nancy, France, 1996-present.
• U.S. Director, European Union/United States University Consortium on Environmental Engineering Education, 1993-present.
• Advisory Committee member, Universidad Nacional de Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina, 1998.
• Chair, Technical Review Panel of Life Support Systems for Station and Exploration, NASA, 1998.
• Panel member, U.S.E.P.A. Blue Ribbon Panel on evaluating costs of Federal environmental regulations, 1996.
• Committee member, Environmental Engineering Education Task Group, International Association on Water Quality 1994- 1998.
• Founding Chair, American Water Works Association, Research Committee on Membrane Technology, 1988-1992.
• Chair, American Water Work Association, Publications Award Committee, 1995-1997.
• Panel member, Science panel of the Houston Environmental Foresight Committee, 1995.
• Advisor, Terrorist task force for Houston Public Works Department

Current and Ongoing Research

• Particles in filter effluents, American Water Works Association, USEPA
• Environmental implications of nanomaterials manufacter and use, USEPA
• Fouling of nanofiltration membranes in surface water treatment, Generale des Eaux
• Development of nanostructured membranes for environmental separations: National Science Foundation, Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Rice University
• Mobility of nanomaterials in aqueous systems: National Science Foundation, Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Rice University
• Next generation sediment caps: structure and reactivity, USEPA Hazardous Substance Research Center
• Center for Sustainability, Shell Oil Foundation (co-authored with President Malcolm Gillis)
• Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, National Science Foundation NSEC (co-authored with V. Colvin, R. Smalley, K. Kulinowski, J. West)

Patents

• Chemical control over ceramic porosity using carboxylate-alumoxanes US 09/670,230, Euro 03004680.9
• Organic acid-FEOOH (ferroxane) particles and ferroxane-derived ceramics and ceramic membranes, US 6,770,773, August 3, 2004.