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Michael Gomez joins the University of Washington's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as an Associate Professor. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of California, Davis in 2017. His research revolves around utilizing natural chemical and biological processes in soils to develop sustainable geotechnical ground improvement technologies. He addresses global environmental challenges linked to population growth, climate change, and material energy demands. His specific focus includes strengthening loose and weak soils through a bio-mediated calcite precipitation process known as Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP), which has potential applications in mitigating earthquake-induced soil liquefaction, immobilizing divalent groundwater contaminants, and preventing soil erosion. His research encompasses examining the up-scaling of the bio-cementation process at field-scale using native soil microorganisms to enable reductions in treatment costs and environmental impacts. Additional research interests include advanced soil characterization, in-situ testing, naturally cemented aged geomaterials, clay surface chemistry, and non-invasive non-destructive measurements for site characterization and subsurface reaction monitoring.
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