Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced today that Adeyemi Adeleye, Ph.D., has received the Agilent 2024 Early Career Professor Award for his contribution to environmental health and sustainability, developing green analytical technologies, methods, or laboratory working environments. Dr. Adeleye is an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University.
The 2024 award focused on contributions to academic research in sustainability and green chemistry. Dr. Adeleye’s research focuses on improving environmental health and sustainability through green approaches, and specifically, using engineered nanoparticles made of earth-abundant, essential elements such as iron, sulfur, and silicon to remediate environmental matrices contaminated with persistent pollutants like arsenic, lead, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Additionally, Dr. Adeleye is studying ways to combine remediation with carbon sequestration in soil to reduce the environmental impact of these approaches.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this esteemed award, which recognizes my research group’s efforts and inspires us to continue striving for excellence,” said Dr. Adeleye. “Persistent environmental contaminants, like heavy metals, pose a significant threat to food safety and human health. "We will continue to expand our understanding of how heavy metals interact with engineered surfaces in natural environments, supporting our long-term goal of developing sustainable solutions to heavy metal contamination. The support from Agilent will undoubtedly help us achieve this important ambition.”
“Agilent is committed to advancing environmental sustainability and empowering innovation that accelerates the development of eco-friendly solutions by supporting researchers who are pioneering green analytical technologies and sustainable laboratory practices,” said Nahid Chalyavi, associate vice president of University Relations and External Research at Agilent. “This year’s award recipient, Dr. Adeleye, is at the forefront of integrating environmental chemistry, engineering, and material science. His research focuses on understanding the reactions between pollutants and reactive surfaces in environmental systems and applying this knowledge to remediate polluted environments.”
Dr. Adeleye’s research supports the effort of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tackle the widespread occurrence of toxic heavy metals in crop-based foods through the “Closer-to-Zero” Initiative. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also supported his work.
The Agilent Early Career Professor Award is an annual program that recognizes and supports promising research from professors who, early in their careers, show outstanding potential for future research in areas of importance to the communities Agilent serves. This award underscores Agilent's commitment to furthering research through the company's products and services, financial support, and collaborative engagement by Agilent scientists and engineers. Further information about the program is available at Agilent.com.