Komarneni Named Penn State Distinguished Professor

Sridhar Komarneni, professor of clay mineralogy in the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been honored as a distinguished professor by the university. The title of distinguished professor was established by the Office of the President to recognize a select group of professors with exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research, and service.

Komarneni’s research focuses on clay mineralogy, including the study of nanostructures of clays and other minerals, and ascertaining the origin of clay and quartz minerals in soils. His work has helped lead to the development of clays and related minerals for slow-release fertilizers and for selective uptake of hazardous radioactive and stable ions, vital to the remediation of contaminated soils and water.

Komarneni also studies the processing of nanocomposites, ceramic powders, gels, glasses, electroceramics, and other materials. He has synthesized new micas (clays)—resulting in materials previously thought impossible to fabricate—and has patented a method for storing radioactive waste using the materials he developed.

He has authored more than 450 refereed publications while at Penn State, with five papers published in Nature and three papers in Science, and has been covered in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. He’s been awarded eight U.S. patents for innovations in high-performance clays and related materials and has written or edited 11 books.

“Sridhar has been consistently excellent as a scholar and productive as a researcher,” says David Sylvia, professor and head of the Crop and Soil Sciences Department. “He has also been an exemplary representative for the university through his welcoming and mentoring of many visiting students, scientists, and research associates. Several professors at prestigious academic institutions are appreciative of his training and development.”

Komarneni is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Ceramic Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Soil Science Society of America, and the American Society of Agronomy.

To be selected as a distinguished professor, a faculty member must be an acknowledged leader in his or her respective academic field; must demonstrate significant leadership in raising the standards of the university with respect to teaching, research or creative activity, and service; and must demonstrate excellent teaching skills that have contributed significantly to the education of students who subsequently achieve recognition of excellence in their fields.

—Gary Abdullah