Brian A. Powell holds the Fjeld Professorship in Nuclear Environmental Engineering and Science and is jointly appointed in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences as well as the Department of Chemistry at Clemson University. Powell is also a joint appointee at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) with the objective of building research collaborations between Clemson and SRNL. He previously held postdoctoral appointments at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (2006-2008) and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2005-2006).
Powell’s research focuses on the treatment and storage of radioactive waste and the migration of heavy metals and radionuclides in the environment from natural or engineered systems. He has conducted sponsored research in a wide range of projects dealing with topics of environmental chemistry, radiochemistry, geochemical reaction modeling and thermodynamic database development, evaluation of nanoparticle behavior, subsurface migration of actinides and fission products, and related topics. These research projects have received over $22 million in funding from the National Science Foundation, DOE, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Homeland Security, and the National Nuclear Security Agency. The knowledge gained from this work can be used to evaluate risk to human and environmental health posed by environmental contamination by nuclear materials, to design remediation strategies for contaminated sites, and to facilitate the use of safe disposal practices. Powell has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, two book chapters, given over 200 technical presentations, and has graduated 15 doctorate students, 20 Master of Science students, and advised 15 postdoctoral researchers. Based on this body of work, Powell was awarded the 2014 South Carolina Governor’s Young Researcher Award for Excellence in Scientific Research, a DOE Early Career Research Award, and named the 2022 Clemson University Senior Researcher of the Year.
Powell holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Montevallo (1999), and Master of Science and doctorates in Environmental Engineering and Science from Clemson University (2001 M.S., 2004 Ph.D.).
Powell has been nominated to serve on EMAB as a special government employee. He will provide expert advice on science and technology, and environmental health.
