Nicholas Institute Faculty Advisory Committee

Mark R. Wiesner
Mark R. Wiesner, Professor of Environmental Engineering at Duke University where he holds appointments in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Wiesner’s research pioneered the application of membrane processes to environmental separations and water treatment. He co-edited and -authored the book “Water Treatment Membrane Process” and served as the founding Chair of the American Water Works Association’s Membrane Research Committee. His recent research has focused on the applications of emerging nanomaterials to membrane science and water treatment and an examination of the fate, transport, and impacts of nanomaterials in the environment.

Professor Wiesner holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Biology from Coe College, a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa, a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University, and did Post-Doctoral work at the Chemical Engineering Sciences Laboratory (ENSIC) in Nancy, France. Before joining the Duke University faculty in 2006, was a member of the Rice University faculty for 18 years where he held appointments in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering and served as Associate Dean of Engineering, and Director of the Environmental and Energy Systems Institute. Prior to working in academia, Dr. Wiesner was a Research Engineer with the French company the Lyonnaise des Eaux, in Le Pecq, France, , and a Principal Engineer with the Environmental Engineering Consulting firm of Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., White Plains, NY. Wiesner received the1995 Rudolf Hering medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the 2004 Frontiers in Research Award from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. In 2004 Dr. Wiesner was also named a de Fermat Laureate and holds an International Chair of Excellence at the Chemical Engineering Lab of the French Polytechnic Institute and National Institute for Applied Sciences in Toulouse, France.  He is a co-founder of the Houston-based nanomaterials company, Oxane Materials.