Dr. Geoffrey D. Bothun, University of Rhode Island

Vicki H. Grassian

Dr. Geoffrey D. Bothun is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and Principal Investigator/Project Director of the Rhode Island National Science Foundation Track-1 Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (RI NSF EPSCoR) cooperative agreement. Through RI NSF EPSCoR, he is leading the Rhode Island Consortium for Coastal Ecology Assessment, Innovation, and Modeling (RI C-AIM), which focuses on how climate change is impacting coastal ecosystems and how these changes can be monitored and responded to using novel technologies.

Geoff’s primary research is in the area of bionanotechnology, utilizing colloidal and interfacial science, self-assembly, and biophysical principles to design nanotheranostic materials for biomedical applications, to advance the environmental health and safety of nanotechnology, and to create nanomaterials for environmental applications such as pollutant detection and remediation. In the area of sustainable technology, his work has focused on understanding how engineered nanoparticles interact with biological membranes and the use of biocompatible templates for nanomaterial design. He also has expertise in the areas of heat and mass transfer, membrane separation processes, high-pressure processing including supercritical fluids, and experiential nanotechnology education.

Geoff was the recipient of an NSF Discovery Corps Postdoctoral Fellowship award (2004), NSF Faculty Development (2007) and CAREER awards (2010), and in 2010 the URI College of Engineering Research Excellence Award. He has served as Chair of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Nanoscale Science & Engineering Forum and co-edited Nanotechnology EHS: Manufacturing and Colloidal Aspects, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.