Research Interests
Membrane processes, nanostructured materials, transport and fate of nanomaterials in the environment, colloidal and interfacial processes, and environmental systems analysis
Bio
Wiesner's research interests include membrane processes, nanostructured materials, transport and fate of nanomaterials in the environment, nano plastics, colloidal and interfacial processes, and environmental systems analysis.
Education
- B.A. Coe College, 1978
- M.S. University of Iowa, 1980
- Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University, 1985
- Rice University, 2006
- Rice University, 2001
- Aix-Marseille University (France), 2000
- Rice University, 2005
- University of Vienna (Austria), 2019
Positions
- James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Professor of Environmental Science and Policy
- Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- Highly Cited Researcher 2015-2023. Clarivate Analytics/ Web of Science. 2015
- Fellow. Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. 2015
- Member of the National Academy of Engineering. National Academy of Engineering. 2015
- Clarke Water Prize. National Water Research Institute. 2011
- Fellow. International Water Association. 2011
- AAAS Fellows. American Association for the Advancement of Science, The. 2009
- Stansell Family Distinguished Research Award. Duke University. 2009
- Fellow. American Society of Civil Engineers,. 2009
- Honorary Professor. Nankai University, Tianjin, China. 2007
- Pierre de Fermat Lauréat and Chair of Excellence. L’Institut National Polytechnique, Toulouse, France. 2004
- Frontiers in Research Award. Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. 2004
- Charles Duncan Award for Scholarship and Teaching. Rice University. 1998
- Rudolph Hering Medal. American Society of Civil Engineers. 1995
- Rudolph Hering Medal. Environmental Engineering Division, ASCE. 1995
- J.J. Barr Award. National Association of Water Companies. 1985
- Member. Phi Beta Kappa. 1978
- Undergraduate Investigator. National Science Foundation. 1978
Courses Taught
- CEE 692: Independent Study: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 691: Independent Study: Advanced Topics in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- CEE 564: Physical Chemical Processes in Environmental Engineering
- CEE 560: Environmental Transport Phenomena
In the News
- Which Duke Scholars Made the Most Cited List? (Nov 16, 2023 | Duke Research Blog)
- Modeling a ‘River of Plastic’ (Dec 9, 2022 | Pratt School of Engineering)
- Global List of Highly Cited Puts Duke in Top Ten (Nov 19, 2019)
- Duke Faculty Plentiful On ‘Highly Cited’ List (Nov 27, 2018 | Duke Today)
- Energy Initiative Awards Seven New Seed Grants (Apr 28, 2017)
- When Art Tackles the Invisibly Small (Dec 12, 2016 | Duke Research Blog)
- Mark Wiesner comments: Silver too small to see, but everywhere you look (May 28, 2014 | The New York Times)
- Duke goes small to make big breakthroughs with $15M grant (Nov 13, 2013 | Triangle Business Journal)
Representative Publications
- Pfohl, P., K. Santizo, J. Sipe, M. Wiesner, S. Harrison, C. Svendsen, and W. Wohlleben. “Environmental degradation and fragmentation of microplastics: dependence on polymer type, humidity, UV dose and temperature (Accepted).” Microplastics and Nanoplastics 5, no. 1 (December 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43591-025-00118-9.
- Abdolahpur Monikh, Fazel, Joris T. K. Quik, Mark R. Wiesner, Andrea Tapparo, Paolo Pastore, Hans-Peter Grossart, Jarkko Akkanen, Raine Kortet, and Jussi V. K. Kukkonen. “Importance of Attachment Efficiency in Determining the Fate of PS and PVC Nanoplastic Heteroaggregation with Natural Colloids Using a Multimedia Model.” Environmental Science & Technology 59, no. 9 (March 2025): 4674–83. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c10918.
- Arslan Çene, Gülay, Elif Soyer, and Mark R. Wiesner. “Investigating the use of CaCO3 particles synthesized in the Ca(OH)2-CO2-H2O system for organic matter removal: adsorption efficiency and recyclability.” Environmental Technology 46, no. 5 (February 2025): 785–803. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2024.2368689.
- Punz, Benjamin, Maja Brajnik, Joh Dokler, Jaleesia D. Amos, Litty Johnson, Katie Reilly, Anastasios G. Papadiamantis, et al. “Instance maps as an organising concept for complex experimental workflows as demonstrated for (nano)material safety research.” Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 16 (January 2025): 57–77. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.16.7.
- Auffan, Melanie, Gregory V. Lowry, Jaleesia D. Amos, Nathan Bossa, and Mark R. Wiesner. “Leveraging nanoparticle environmental health and safety research in the study of micro- and nano-plastics.” NanoImpact 36 (October 2024): 100534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.impact.2024.100534.