Abstract
When you think of a particle, you may imagine a grain of sand or something similarly miniscule. However, a broader professional definition includes liquid droplets, gas bubbles, viruses, and bacteria. Their sizes can vary from one-hundredth of a human hair (nanoparticles) to all of the planet Earth, anything in between, and beyond. Applications of this field extend from minerals, microelectronics, and advanced materials to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, cosmetics and consumer products, and agriculture and food.
Think about it – particles impact our lives, from our morning cups of Joe to brushing our teeth before going to bed. Particles can cure us (drug particles) and have the potential to make us sick if not properly managed (nanotoxicity). My career in particle technology and interfacial engineering meant I never had a dull day as a researcher and teacher. The focus of our group’s research and educational endeavors has been to develop knowledge and technology platforms for industries across the spectrum to create safer and more sustainable products and processes.
With select illustrative examples, this presentation will highlight the lessons learned and “do’s and “don’ts from an academic and industrial career spent playing with particles.
Bio
Brij M. Moudgil, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering. He has served as Director of the Particle Engineering Research Center (NSF ERC 1994 – 2007) and the Center for Particulate and Surfactant Systems (CPaSS – NSF I/UCRC, 2008 – 2022). Until 2024, Dr. Moudgil also served as the Director of the Center for Nano Bio Sensors (CNBS) – a State Center of Excellence, and the UF Mineral Resources Research Center. He received his M.S. and Eng.Sc.D. Degrees in Mineral Engineering from Columbia University, New York, NY. He has published more than 300 technical papers and has been awarded 31 patents.
His research and professional leadership accomplishments have resulted in several major awards, including his election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 2002. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and has served as President of the Society for Mining Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. (SME). His research interests include advanced materials and minerals processing technologies, antimicrobial surface coatings, crop protection, nanotoxicity, and greener reagents and particle technologies.