Petra Reinke

Petra Reinke is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Virginia. She holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the Technical University Munich/Max-Planck Institute and an M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Konstanz. Her research focuses on surface science, nanomaterials, and corrosion engineering, with a particular emphasis on atomic-scale characterization of surfaces and interfaces.

Education:

• M.S./B.S. in Chemistry (University of Konstanz, 1989)
• Ph.D. in Physics (Technical University Munich/Max-Planck Institute, 1992)
• Postdoc at École Polytechnique (Canada, 1992–1994)
• Habilitation (University of Basel, 2000)

Research Interests: Nanoelectronics, corrosion engineering, surface science, nanomaterials synthesis, and catalysis. Her lab investigates nanoscale mechanisms in alloy oxidation, electrochemical passivation, and 2D materials like graphene and silicene.

Grants & Projects:

• NSF MRI grants (2016–2019) for advanced materials characterization tools
• ONR-funded studies on alloy corrosion and ferroelectric thin films (2014–2018)
• Swedish Foundation grants for international surface science collaborations (2014)

Labs & Affiliations: Leads the Reinke Lab, focusing on surface science and nanomaterials. Teaches courses like MSE 4055 (Nanoscience) and MSE 7220 (Surface Science).