headshot of Leanne Gilbertson

Leanne Gilbertson

Associate Professor
The Gilbertson Group LMG Lab Civil & Environmental Engr

about

(2014) Harding Bliss Prize for Excellence in Engineering and Applied Science.

(2014) Yale-Jefferson Public Service Award.

(2012 - 2014) National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship.

(2010 - 2012) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) STAR Fellowship.

(2010) National Science Foundation Scholar Conference Travel Award.

(2010) ACS Green Chemistry Institute Ciba Travel Award.

(2007) Phi Beta Kappa.

(2007) Undergraduate Student Award from the NY Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.

(2007 - 2008) George Watson's College Teaching Fellowship.

Top 10 Reviewer Award, Environmental Science: Nano.

Excellence in Review Award, Environmental Science and Technology.

Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award.

3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award.

PhD, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 2009 - 2014

MA, MPhil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 2009 - 2012

BA, Chemistry, Hamilton College, 2003 - 2007

Aquino de Carvalho, N., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2023). Comparative life cycle assessment of graphitic carbon nitride synthesis routes. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 27(3), 1008-1020.Wiley. doi: 10.1111/jiec.13390.

Gilbertson, L.M., & Vikesland, P.J. (2022). Inspiring a nanocircular economy. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 9(3), 839-840.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/d2en90005j.

Albalghiti, E., Stabryla, L.M., Gilbertson, L.M., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2021). Towards resolution of antibacterial mechanisms in metal and metal oxide nanomaterials: a meta-analysis of the influence of study design on mechanistic conclusions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 8(1), 37-66.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/d0en00949k.

Aquino de Carvalho, N., Wang, Y., Morales-Soto, N., Waldeck, D., Bibby, K., Doudrick, K., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2021). Using C-Doping to Identify Photocatalytic Properties of Graphitic Carbon Nitride That Govern Antibacterial Efficacy. ACS ES&T Water, 1(2), 269-280.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.0c00053.

Barrios, A.C., Cahue, Y.P., Wang, Y., Geiger, J., Puerari, R.C., Matias, W.G., Melegari, S.P., Gilbertson, L.M., & Perreault, F. (2021). Emerging investigator series: a multispecies analysis of the relationship between oxygen content and toxicity in graphene oxide. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 8(6), 1543-1559.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/d0en01264e.

Cruces, E., Barrios, A.C., Cahue, Y.P., Januszewski, B., Gilbertson, L.M., & Perreault, F. (2021). Similar toxicity mechanisms between graphene oxide and oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in Microcystis aeruginosa. CHEMOSPHERE, 265, 129137.Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129137.

Sleight, T.W., Sexton, C.N., Mpourmpakis, G., Gilbertson, L.M., & Ng, C.A. (2021). A Classification Model to Identify Direct-Acting Mutagenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Transformation Products. CHEMICAL RESEARCH IN TOXICOLOGY, 34(11), 2273-2286.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00187.

Stabryla, L.M., Johnston, K.A., Diemler, N.A., Cooper, V.S., Millstone, J.E., Haig, S.J., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2021). Role of bacterial motility in differential resistance mechanisms of silver nanoparticles and silver ions. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY, 16(9), 996-+.Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s41565-021-00929-w.

Clark, R.M., Stabryla, L.M., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2020). Sustainability coursework: student perspectives and reflections on design thinking. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION, 21(3), 593-611.Emerald. doi: 10.1108/IJSHE-09-2019-0275.

Gilbertson, L.M., Pourzahedi, L., Laughton, S., Gao, X., Zimmerman, J.B., Theis, T.L., Westerhoff, P., & Lowry, G.V. (2020). Guiding the design space for nanotechnology to advance sustainable crop production. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY, 15(9), 801-+.Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s41565-020-0706-5.

Hofmann, T., Lowry, G.V., Ghoshal, S., Tufenkji, N., Brambilla, D., Dutcher, J.R., Gilbertson, L.M., Giraldo, J.P., Kinsella, J.M., Landry, M.P., Lovell, W., Naccache, R., Paret, M., Pedersen, J.A., Unrine, J.M., White, J.C., & Wilkinson, K.J. (2020). Technology readiness and overcoming barriers to sustainably implement nanotechnology-enabled plant agriculture. NATURE FOOD, 1(7), 416-425.Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s43016-020-0110-1.

Pandorf, M., Pourzahedi, L., Gilbertson, L., Lowry, G.V., Herckes, P., & Westerhoff, P. (2020). Graphite nanoparticle addition to fertilizers reduces nitrate leaching in growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 7(1), 127-138.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c9en00890j.

Sleight, T.W., Khanna, V., Gilbertson, L.M., & Ng, C.A. (2020). Network Analysis for Prioritizing Biodegradation Metabolites of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 54(17), 10725-10734.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02217.

Wang, Y., Basdogan, Y., Zhang, T., Lankone, R.S., Wallace, A.N., Fairbrother, D.H., Keith, J.A., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2020). Unveiling the Synergistic Role of Oxygen Functional Groups in the Graphene-Mediated Oxidation of Glutathione. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 12(41), 45753-45762.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acsami.0c11539.

Barrios, A.C., Wang, Y., Gilbertson, L.M., & Perreault, F. (2019). Structure-Property-Toxicity Relationships of Graphene Oxide: Role of Surface Chemistry on the Mechanisms of Interaction with Bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 53(24), 14679-14687.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05057.

Johnston, K.A., Stabryla, L.M., Gilbertson, L.M., & Millstone, J.E. (2019). Emerging investigator series: connecting concepts of coinage metal stability across length scales. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 6(9), 2674-2696.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c9en00407f.

Lankone, R.S., Challis, K., Pourzahedi, L., Durkin, D.P., Bi, Y., Wang, Y., Garland, M.A., Brown, F., Hristovski, K., Tanguay, R.L., Westerhoff, P., Lowry, G., Gilbertson, L.M., Ranville, J., & Fairbrother, D.H. (2019). Copper release and transformation following natural weathering of nano-enabled pressure-treated lumber. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 668, 234-244.Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.433.

Lowry, G.V., Avellan, A., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2019). Opportunities and challenges for nanotechnology in the agri-tech revolution. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY, 14(6), 517-522.Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s41565-019-0461-7.

Wang, Y., de Carvalho, N.A., Tan, S., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2019). Leveraging electrochemistry to uncover the role of nitrogen in the biological reactivity of nitrogen-doped graphene. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 6(12), 3525-3538.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c9en00802k.

Falinski, M.M., Plata, D.L., Chopra, S.S., Theis, T.L., Gilbertson, L.M., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2018). A framework for sustainable nanomaterial selection and design based on performance, hazard, and economic considerations. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY, 13(8), 708-714.Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi: 10.1038/s41565-018-0120-4.

Johnston, K.A., Stabryla, L.M., Smith, A.M., Gan, X.Y., Gilbertson, L.M., & Millstone, J.E. (2018). Impacts of broth chemistry on silver ion release, surface chemistry composition, and bacterial cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 5(2), 304-312.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7en00974g.

Pourzahedi, L., Pandorf, M., Ravikumar, D., Zimmerman, J.B., Seager, T.P., Theis, T.L., Westerhoff, P., Gilbertson, L.M., & Lowry, G.V. (2018). Life cycle considerations of nano-enabled agrochemicals: are today's tools up to the task?. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 5(5), 1057-1069.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7en01166k.

Smith, A.M., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Rational Ligand Design To Improve Agrochemical Delivery Efficiency and Advance Agriculture Sustainability. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 6(11), 13599-13610.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b03457.

Stabryla, L.M., Johnston, K.A., Millstone, J.E., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Emerging investigator series: it's not all about the ion: support for particle-specific contributions to silver nanoparticle antimicrobial activity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 5(9), 2047-2068.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c8en00429c.

Urso, J.H., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Atom Conversion Efficiency: A New Sustainability Metric Applied to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Use in Agriculture. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 6(4), 4453-4463.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03600.

Wang, Y., Tavakkoli, S., Khanna, V., Vidic, R.D., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Life Cycle Impact and Benefit Trade-Offs of a Produced Water and Abandoned Mine Drainage Cotreatment Process. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 52(23), 13995-14005.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.est.8b03773.

Yin, J., Wang, Y., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Opportunities to advance sustainable design of nano-enabled agriculture identified through a literature review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 5(1), 11-26.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7en00766c.

Gallagher, M.J., Allen, C., Buchman, J.T., Qiu, T.A., Clement, P.L., Krause, M.O.P., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2017). Research highlights: applications of life-cycle assessment as a tool for characterizing environmental impacts of engineered nanomaterials. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 4(2), 276-281.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7en90005h.

Lankone, R.S., Challis, K.E., Bi, Y., Hanigan, D., Reed, R.B., Zaikova, T., Hutchison, J.E., Westerhoff, P., Ranville, J., Fairbrother, H., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2017). Methodology for quantifying engineered nanomaterial release from diverse product matrices under outdoor weathering conditions and implications for life cycle assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 4(9), 1784-1797.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7en00410a.

Wang, Y., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2017). Informing rational design of graphene oxide through surface chemistry manipulations: properties governing electrochemical and biological activities. GREEN CHEMISTRY, 19(12), 2826-2838.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c7gc00159b.

Gilbertson, L.M., & Ng, C.A. (2016). Evaluating the Use of Alternatives Assessment To Compare Bulk Organic Chemical and Nanomaterial Alternatives to Brominated Flame Retardants. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, 4(11), 6019-6030.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.6b01318.

Gilbertson, L.M., Albalghiti, E.M., Fishman, Z.S., Perreault, F., Corredor, C., Posner, J.D., Elimelech, M., Pfefferle, L.D., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2016). Shape-Dependent Surface Reactivity and Antimicrobial Activity of Nano-Cupric Oxide. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 50(7), 3975-3984.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b05734.

Gilbertson, L.M., Melnikov, F., Wehmas, L.C., Anastas, P.T., Tanguay, R.L., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2016). Toward safer multi-walled carbon nanotube design: Establishing a statistical model that relates surface charge and embryonic zebrafish mortality. NANOTOXICOLOGY, 10(1), 10-19.Informa UK Limited. doi: 10.3109/17435390.2014.996193.

Azoz, S., Exarhos, A.L., Marquez, A., Gilbertson, L.M., Nejati, S., Cha, J.J., Zimmerman, J.B., Kikkawa, J.M., & Pfefferle, L.D. (2015). Highly Conductive Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin Film Preparation by Direct Alignment on Substrates from Water Dispersions. LANGMUIR, 31(3), 1155-1163.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/la503919u.

Azoz, S., Gilbertson, L.M., Hashmi, S.M., Han, P., Sterbinsky, G.E., Kanaan, S.A., Zimmerman, J.B., & Pfefferle, L.D. (2015). Enhanced dispersion and electronic performance of single-walled carbon nanotube thin films without surfactant: A comprehensive study of various treatment processes. CARBON, 93, 1008-1020.Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2015.05.087.

Gilbertson, L.M., Wender, B.A., Zimmerman, J.B., & Eckelman, M.J. (2015). Coordinating modeling and experimental research of engineered nanomaterials to improve life cycle assessment studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO, 2(6), 669-682.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c5en00097a.

Gilbertson, L.M., Zimmerman, J.B., Plata, D.L., Hutchison, J.E., & Anastas, P.T. (2015). Designing nanomaterials to maximize performance and minimize undesirable implications guided by the Principles of Green Chemistry. CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS, 44(16), 5758-5777.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c4cs00445k.

Hicks, A.L., Gilbertson, L.M., Yamani, J.S., Theis, T.L., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2015). Life Cycle Payback Estimates of Nanosilver Enabled Textiles under Different Silver Loading, Release, And Laundering Scenarios Informed by Literature Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 49(13), 7529-7542.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b01176.

Gilbertson, L.M., Busnaina, A.A., Isaacs, J.A., Zimmerman, J.B., & Eckelman, M.J. (2014). Life Cycle Impacts and Benefits of a Carbon Nanotube-Enabled Chemical Gas Sensor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 48(19), 11360-11368.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/es5006576.

Gilbertson, L.M., Jr, G.D.G., Taylor, A.D., Pfefferle, L., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2014). Toward Tailored Functional Design of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWNTs): Electrochemical and Antimicrobial Activity Enhancement via Oxidation and Selective Reduction. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 48(10), 5938-5945.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/es500468y.

Pasquini, L.M., Sekol, R.C., Taylor, A.D., Pfefferle, L.D., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2013). Realizing Comparable Oxidative and Cytotoxic Potential of Single-and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes through Annealing. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 47(15), 8775-8783.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/es401786s.

Pasquini, L.M., Hashmi, S.M., Sommer, T.J., Elimelech, M., & Zimmerman, J.B. (2012). Impact of Surface Functionalization on Bacterial Cytotoxicity of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, 46(11), 6297-6305.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/es300514s.

Clark, R.M., Stabryla, L.M., & Gilbertson, L.M. (2018). Use of active learning and the design thinking process to drive creative sustainable engineering design solutions. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2018-June.

Research interests

environmental engineering
life cycle assessment
sustainable material design
sustainable nanotechnology