John Fortner

John Fortner is a Professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at Yale University, affiliated with the School of Engineering & Applied Science. He leads the Fortner Lab, focusing on advanced nanomaterials for environmental remediation, particularly PFAS treatment, water purification, and energy sustainability. His research integrates material science, environmental engineering, and toxicology to address critical challenges in health and energy.

**Education**: Ph.D., Rice University (Environmental Engineering); B.S., Texas A&M University (Chemical Engineering). He has held leadership roles in major conferences and societies, including Chair of the Environmental Nanotechnology Gordon Research Conference (2023) and membership in the Royal Society of Chemistry (Fellow, 2021).

**Research Interests**: Development of novel materials (e.g., MOFs, graphene composites) for contaminant removal, PFAS exposure analysis in neonatal populations, and scalable nanomaterial synthesis. Recent work emphasizes microwave-enhanced catalysis, electrochemical remediation, and sustainable PFOA/PFOS treatment.

**Awards & Honors**: Over 10 prestigious awards, including the NSF CAREER Award (2015), Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (2020), and election to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2024).

**Advising & Lab**: Supervises a diverse team of graduate and undergraduate students in projects like PFAS adsorption, metal-organic frameworks, and composite materials. Lab alumni include Dr. Junseok Lee (now at Incheon National University).

**Lab Activities**: Hosts regular group dinners, symposiums (e.g., 2022 IICEE competition win), and collaborates with industry (e.g., Suez Water Technologies). The lab mascot is BEAR, symbolizing team cohesion.