BYLINE: Karina Valdes
Newswise — Three University of Miami scholars were recognized for their research productivity by Academic Analytics (AA), a source of faculty research data and benchmarking engaged by top universities across the country.
Pratim Biswas, professor in the Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering and dean of the College of Engineering; Antonio Nanni, professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering in the College of Engineering; and Alex Piquero, professor and acting chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology and Arts and Sciences Distinguished Scholar in the College of Arts and Sciences, scored in the top 5 percent of their peer universities within the Association of American Universities (AAU) for their scholarly research productivity.
The AAU comprises 71 of America’s leading research universities, with membership obtained by invitation after careful evaluation by a committee. Only 3 percent of four-year institutions in the nation are invited to join the AAU, which recognizes breadth and quality of research and scholarship. The University was invited to join the prestigious organization—considered the gold standard in American higher education—in 2023.
Scholarly productivity was calculated by scoring in the top 5 percent of AAU peers on four or more of the seven metrics used by AA. These are journal articles, citations, conference proceedings, books, chapters in edited volumes, patents, and honorific awards.
Pratim Biswas
Pratim Biswas, the principal investigator at the University’s Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory (AAQRL), has spent his career of over four decades researching aerosol science and technology, as well as nanoparticle technology.
“The field of aerosol science and technology is an enabling discipline with applications in many areas of societal relevance. My research work has resulted in impact and solving many global challenge issues and societal problems—and this keeps me inspired,” Biswas said.
Aerosol science and technology research is crucial in developing new materials that enable energy, environmental, and medical technologies. Researchers investigate various processes of minute particle systems and their effects on climate, the environment, and human health.
Through his work, Biswas has developed methods of controlling particulate emissions, forms of measuring small particles using wearable sensors, innovative aerosol methods to synthesize nanomaterials for solar PV, and other advanced materials applications.
He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2019 for his contributions to the fundamentals of aerosol science and engineering. In 2018 he received the Fuchs Memorial Award—the premier international aerosol award given to a scientist for outstanding contributions in aerosol science and technology.
Biswas also served as an associate editor of the Aerosol Science and Technology Journal and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Aerosol Science. From 2018-2022, he was president of the International Aerosol Research Assembly.
In recognition of his teaching, Biswas was elected a fellow of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors in 2017, followed by his election as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2021, and the National Academy of Inventors in 2024.
Throughout his career, he has graduated 70 doctoral students and counts their success among his greatest joys. He works closely with undergraduate and graduate students, including four undergraduate student researchers currently working in the AAQRL, who are contributors to his scholarly work.
“[Students] have co-authored most of the 475 refereed journal publications I have to date,” Biswas said.
Biswas, who co-founded two startup corporations and holds 17 patents resulting from his research, is now working on developing innovative techniques for targeted drug delivery, as well as a focus in the area of nanomedicine and sustainable pathways for production of nanomaterials.
Alex Piquero
A radio, television, and film major at the University of Maryland College Park, Alex Piquero was not interested in criminology, his soon-to-be lifelong career, until the spring semester of his first year.
“One of my classes didn’t make it, so I had to see what was available. The one class available during my preferred time slot was Introduction to Criminal Justice. That class and the instructor made the topic of criminology come to life, and the rest is history,” Piquero said.
A professor for nearly 30 years, Piquero’s areas of research within criminology and sociology span a number of subjects including criminal careers, crime data, crime prevention, and crime and justice policy.
“The field of criminology is a fascinating one because it involves human decision-making, and we are constantly learning about the factors that may influence people to make certain decisions in certain contexts, but not others,” he said.
Apart from his role as a professor, Piquero was appointed by former President Joe Biden as the first Hispanic director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one of the nation’s 13 federal statistical agencies.
“I got to see unique insights into policymaking at the highest level, but also how academic research influenced policymaking at the highest levels,” he said.
Piquero, a nationally and internationally recognized criminologist, has given congressional testimony on evidence-based crime prevention practices and has provided counsel and support to several U.S. and international criminal justice agencies and elected leaders.
He has published more than 550 scholarly articles and several books, and also served as editor of the Journal of Quantitative Criminology and the Justice Evaluation Journal. He is a fellow of the American Society of Criminology and of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. His research has been cited over 69,000 times (h-index = 141).
In 2019 Piquero received the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences’ Bruce Smith Sr. Award for outstanding contributions to criminal justice, and in 2020 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Division of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology of the American Society of Criminology.
As a professor and scholar, he considers mentoring to be the most rewarding part of his career. Piquero’s students are directly involved in data collection and analysis, as well as writing aspects of journal articles and book chapters.
“They get to learn about the process that they will be part and parcel of should they choose to continue down the academic path. The best part is when they get an article accepted for publication in a major journal—seeing their reaction is one that never ever gets old, nor does seeing them succeed throughout their professional careers,” Piquero said.
Antonio Nanni
Launched during his undergraduate career, Antonio Nanni’s five decades of work in the field of concrete as a material system was sparked with a thesis on fiber-reinforced concrete. He was so fascinated by that area of research, he completed his Master of Science thesis on the same topic.
“In my professional life, I have been intrigued by and loved two material systems: concrete and composites. I have worked on them and emphasized their synergistic properties,” Nanni said.
Globally, concrete is the most common construction material, yet it faces threats to its structural integrity from chloride ions. These ions, commonly found in salt water, permeate concrete and, over time, cause the corrosion of internal steel reinforcements. Nanni’s research aims to address this endemic challenge through the deployment of concrete without chloride limits that uses composites as its reinforcement.
“This research redefines the concept of durability by removing from the equation steel corrosion and is transformational for the greening of the cement manufacturing industry,” said Nanni.
Traditionally, concrete and natural aggregates are mixed and cured with fresh water. Nanni’s work addresses the preservation of natural resources, such as fresh water, by allowing for the use of seawater and recycled concrete aggregates.
“My area of research and development may look mundane when compared to biosciences or information technologies,” said Nanni.
“However, safety and quality of life are primarily based on constructed facilities—from dams to wastewater systems, from bridges to skyscrapers,” he added.
As a professor working at one of the nation’s top research universities, Nanni recognizes that students are instrumental to his scholarly work and actively participate in research and development efforts.
“Students do not just contribute to experimental or analytical work, they challenge faculty ideas and approaches and enrich them with their creativity and imagination. As important, their enthusiasm and commitment are inspirational for their faculty mentors,” said Nanni.
With more than 600 publications throughout his career, Nanni has received multiple awards and accolades for his contributions to the use of concrete as a material. In 2017 Nanni was recognized by the Florida Engineering Society with the Outstanding Service Award. To culminate his lifelong career, he was elected president of the American Concrete Institute for 2023-2024.
“I was and remain fascinated by the impact that construction and, specifically concrete, make on society and the future of the world,” said Nanni.
