George W. Scherer

George W. Scherer is the William L. Knapp '47 Professor of Civil Engineering at Princeton University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He leads the Materials Research Group focusing on the durability and sustainability of building materials, from civil structures to ancient monuments.

Professor Scherer's research spans multiple areas including cement and concrete science, transport in porous media, nucleation and growth phenomena, art conservation, sol-gel processing, relaxation phenomena, and sintering. His work combines theoretical modeling with experimental approaches to understand how structure controls properties and how processing controls structure in materials.

His research group has produced numerous publications focusing on understanding fundamental mechanisms of material degradation, particularly related to freezing and salt scaling of concrete. The group has developed innovative measurement techniques like the beam-bending method for permeability measurement and has made significant contributions to understanding anomalous properties of confined fluids.

• Brunauer Award (with John Valenza)

Professor Scherer has advised numerous graduate students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. His research has been supported by grants including an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grant to study the Science of Concrete. He has taught courses including CEE 105 (Lab in Conservation of Art), CEE 364 (Materials in Civil Engineering), and MSE 501 (Introduction to Materials Science).

The research group maintains active collaborations with institutions worldwide and has participated in major conferences including the Biot Conference on Poromechanics and International Congresses on Deterioration and Conservation of Stone. Current projects include studies on carbon sequestration simulations, ice growth in concrete, and art conservation techniques demonstrated through projects like Quark Park.