Pedro J. Alvarez, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, F.ASCE George R. Brown Professor Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering Rice University

Pedro J. Alvarez is the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University. He received the B. Eng. Degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. Current research interests include environmental biotechnology and bioremediation, fate and transport of toxic chemicals; water footprint of biofuels, and environmental nanotechnology. Dr. Alvarez is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a Fellow of ASCE. Past honors include President of AEESP, Honorary Consul of Nicaragua, the WEF McKee Medal for Groundwater Protection, the AEESP Frontiers in research Award, the SERDP cleanup project of the year award, the Button of the City of Valencia, the Collegiate Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Iowa; the Alejo Zuloaga Medal from the Universidad de Carabobo, Venezuela; a Career Award from the National Science Foundation; a Rackham Fellowship, and best paper awards from the EPA/HSRC for Regions 7 & 8; WEF, and the Battelle Bioremediation Symposium. Dr. Alvarez currently serves on the editorial board of /Environmental Science and Technology, /and as honorary professor at Nankai University in China and as adjunct professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Florianopolis, Brazil.

Presentation Description
Nanomaterial-Microbial Interactions: Environmental Implications and Applications
The rapid development of nanotechnology is outpacing the development of appropriate regulations to mitigate potential risks associated with the release of engineered nanomaterials to the environment. Therefore, it is important to understand how engineered nanoparticles with high probability of environmental release interact with microorganisms, which form the basis of all known ecosystems and provide many critical environmental services. On the other hand, many nanomaterials also hold a significant potential to develop new capabilities to alleviate past and future environmental challenges, including a growing need for water disinfection and microbial control. This seminar will illustrate these issues by considering the antibacterial properties and mechanisms of fullerenes and other nanomaterials within the context of environmental implications and applications.