Rate My Professor Jeff Nason

Jeffrey A. Nason is a Professor of Environmental Engineering and Head of the School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University. He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1997, M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University in 2002, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. Prior to academia, he worked as an Engineer II in the Water/Wastewater Group at Parametrix, Inc. from 1998 to 2000. Nason joined Oregon State University in January 2007 as an Assistant Professor in the School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, advancing to Associate Professor in September 2013, Professor in September 2021, and Associate Head for Graduate Programs in April 2014. He served as Interim School Head from August 2018 to January 2019 and was appointed permanent School Head in March 2023. His research focuses on water quality and treatment, particularly particulate contaminants, including the fate and transport of engineered nanomaterials and micro/nanoplastics in aquatic systems, the influence of natural organic matter on chemical speciation and treatment of heavy metals in stormwater and wastewater, physical and chemical processes, aquatic chemistry, and engineering education research on virtual versus physical laboratories. Nason leads the Nason Lab, which investigates mechanisms governing contaminant fate, transport, and treatment to inform engineering design. He has secured over $1.9 million in research funding as principal investigator, including NSF CAREER awards. Key publications include "Interactions between natural organic matter and gold nanoparticles stabilized with different organic capping agents" (Environmental Science & Technology, 2011), "Quantification of heteroaggregation between citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles and hematite colloids" (Environmental Science & Technology, 2015), "Factors influencing dissolved copper concentrations in Oregon highway stormwater runoff" (Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2012), and "Effects of surface coating character and interactions with natural organic matter on the colloidal stability of gold nanoparticles" (Environmental Science: Nano, 2016). His work has garnered significant citations, demonstrating impact in environmental engineering.

Nason teaches courses such as Material Balances (CBEE 211), Aquatic Chemistry (ENVE 532), Physical and Chemical Treatment Processes (ENVE 535), and Air Pollution Control (ENVE 425/525). He received the NSF CAREER Award (2013-2018), EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship (2004-2006), Abel Wolman Graduate Fellowship (2004-2006), and NWRI Graduate Fellowship (2004-2006). During a sabbatical as an Academic Guest at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) from 2016 to 2017, he advanced studies on nanoparticle interactions.