Michel F. Marc

Michel F. Marc is a Professor of Nanoscience in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech's College of Science. His research bridges mineralogy, environmental science, and nanotechnology, focusing on nanoparticle formation mechanisms, crystallization processes, and structure-property relationships. He earned a Ph.D. in Geosciences from Stony Brook University (2007) and a B.A. in Geology from Colgate University (1998).

His work addresses three core areas: 1) quantitative structure-property relationships in natural/engineered nanomaterials, 2) nanoparticle crystallization pathways, and 3) real-time methodologies for studying nanoparticle evolution. Utilizing advanced scattering and spectroscopic techniques, he develops 3D atomic-scale models to understand material behavior in environmental and engineered systems.

Current research emphasizes real-time in situ observations of nanoparticle growth, with applications to energy storage, water treatment, and environmental health. He teaches courses on mineralogy (GEOS 3504/MSE 3104), nanoscience and the environment (NANO 3124), and graduate-level Earth materials analysis (GEOS 6504).

His lab group includes students like Alexandria Hoeher (Ph.D. candidate studying phosphate mineral crystallization) and Rui Serra Maia (Ph.D. candidate analyzing platinum nanocatalysts). Recent publications explore ferrihydrite structure, amorphous calcium carbonate dynamics, and nanoparticle dissolution kinetics.