Engineering Professor Conducts Explorations on the Nanoscale
Petra Reinke, Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Just about every assumption made about the materials of everyday life start to collapse when objects become very small. At the micron scale—one-millionth of a meter—they retain their familiar properties. But in moving to the nanoscale—dimensions measured in billionths of a meter—strange things start to happen. Notoriously inert elements like platinum or gold become potent chemical catalysts, and gold turns into a liquid at room temperature. Normally stable, aluminum becomes combustible, and copper becomes transparent.
It is a fascinating and largely unknown world. However, it is one that must be mastered to continue producing smaller and more powerful electronic and mechanical devices. For Petra Reinke, associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the goal is to be able to engineer materials and construct structures that perform in predictable ways at the nanoscale. more >
Fuel Discovery: Science and TechnologyUnprecedented advances in science and engineering are changing the character of our society. However, science and engineering have traditionally received meager support at the University of Virginia. We face a paucity of state-funded faculty lines, inadequate start-up funding to attract and retain distinguished researchers, and a shortage of laboratory and classroom space. New Space for Science and Technology Research and InstructionIn research space alone, the University suffers from a shortage of at least 100,000 assignable square feet at current faculty levels. Student SupportThe University needs significant support to offer competitive financial aid packages to top students at all levels—high school, undergraduate, and graduate—in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering. Technology and the Student ExperienceThe University will improve and expand its information technology infrastructure, which connects faculty, students, and staff around the globe. Scientific Discovery: Science Education and ResearchBuilding additional capacity through investments in faculty, graduate students, laboratories, and research will increase the University's ability to produce scientists and mathematicians, and fuel discoveries in areas such as renewable energy, sustainability, and health. Integrative Research: Integrative Research InitiativesNew research initiatives that cut across traditional disciplines will strengthen outreach and expand knowledge about significant issues such as aging, regenerative medicine, and global climate change. The Environment and SustainabilityThe University will build upon its leadership role in environmental studies to conduct research, expand curricula, and create products to promote sustainability |