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Peter S. Nico

Energy Geosciences Division Director (Acting);

Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure Program Domain Lead;

UC Berkeley Associate Adjunct Professor;

Senior Scientist

Building 074, Room 0311

M/S 74R316C

Phone: 510-486-7118

Fax: 510-486-5686

psnico@lbl.gov

Curriculum Vitae

  • Education
  • Experience
  • Awards
  • Professional Affiliations
  • Advisory Boards, Committees, Councils, Services

Biography

Peter Nico is a Soil and Environmental Biogeochemist who studies transition metal redox processes and their impact on the fate and transport of environmental contaminants. He has also investigates soil carbon stabilization and mineralization mechanisms with an emphases on the role of mineral surfaces and redox active metals such as Fe and Mn. Much of his work uses synchrotron based X-ray spectromicroscopic techniques to probe chemical and physical heterogeneity on the micron and nanometer scale. He received his B.S degree in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, and a M.S. in Organic Chemistry from U.C.L.A. He received his Ph.D in 2001 in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry from the University of California, Davis. From 2001-2002 he was a post-doctoral fellow in Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry at Stanford University and still maintains a visiting scholar appointment there. From 2002-2005 he held the position of Assistant Professor of Chemistry at California State University Stanislaus before joining the Earth Sciences Division in 2005. In September 2016, Peter Nico was appointed to lead the Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure Program Domain (previously known as Sustainable Energy Systems Program Domain), and, as of February 2022, is the (Acting) Division Director for the Energy Geosciences Division.

Education

  • Post-Doctoral Fellow, Stanford University, 2002, Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of California, Davis, 2001, Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry
  • Candidate in Philosophy, University of California, Los Angeles, 1996, Organic Chemistry
  • Masters of Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 1996, Organic Chemistry
  • Bachelors of Science, University of California, Davis, 1994, Chemistry

Experience

  • Energy Geosciences Division Director (Acting), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 2022-Present
  • Associate Adjunct Professor, U.C. Berkeley, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, 2022-Present
  • Senior Geologic Scientist, LBNL, 2022-Present
  • Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure Program Domain Lead, LBNL, 2016-Present
  • Geologic Staff Scientist, LBNL, 2014-2022
  • Geochemistry Department Head, LBNL, 2013-2016
  • Geologic Scientist, LBNL, 2005-2014
  • Visiting Scholar, Stanford University - Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, 2002-2006
  • Assistant Professor, California State University, Stanislaus, 2002-2005
  • Post Doctoral Fellow, Stanford University - Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Research Director: Dr. Scott Fendorf, 2001-2002
  • Lecturer, California State University, Hayward, 2000
  • Adjunct Faculty, Woodland Community College, 1999
  • Guest Lecturer, University of California, Davis, 1998
  • Research Assistant, University of California, Davis, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Robert J. Zasoski, 1996-2001
  • Teaching Assistant, University of California, Davis and Los Angeles, 1994-1997
  • Research Assistant, University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Research Advisor: Dr. M. Fredrick Hawthorne, 1994-1996

Awards

  • As a member of the Berkeley Lab Microbiome Initiative Team, the team was awarded a 2016 Director’s Award for Exceptional Achievement, 2016

Professional Affiliations

  • American Chemical Society
  • American Geophysical Union
  • EnviroSynch
  • Soil Science Society of America

Advisory Boards, Committees, Councils, Services

  • LBNL Future of Work Committee, 2021-Present
  • Goldschmidt 2021, Session Organizer, 2021
  • Goldschmidt 2020, Session Organizer, 2020
  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, &Accountability Communications and Awareness Group, 2019-2022
  • Managed Career Track Scientist Promotion for Dr. Charu Varadharajan, 2019
  • Chaired Senior Scientist Promotion Committee for Dr. Benjamin Gilbert, 2017
  • Hiring Committee for Berkeley Lab Community Relations Hire, 2016
  • Hiring Committee for Water-Energy Lead Scientist, 2016
  • Goldschmidt 2014, Session Organizer, 2014
  • SSSA Session Organizer, 2014
  • LBL Lead for U.C. Global Food Initiative, 2014-Present
  • LBL Lead of U.C. Davis-LBL Predictive Agriculture Initiative, 2013-Present
  • Strategy Lead, Biogeochemistry, LBL Biosciences Strategic Planning Committee, 2012-2014
  • Member, Vice Chair, Chair, Former Chair ALS User Executive Committee, 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015
  • LBNL Operating Experience Steering Committee, 2012-2014
  • Co-chair ALS User Meeting, 2012
  • Member and Chair (2015), Canadian Light Source Proposal Study Panel, 2011-2015
  • Integrated Bioimaging Initiative Committee, 2011-2014
  • Berkeley Synchrotron Infrared Structural Biology (BSISB) Steering Committee, 2008-2011
  • Co-Chair Planning Committee: Synchrotron Environmental Science IV, 2007-2008
  • Member, “Faculty Mentor Program," 2003-2005
  • Member, Faculty Search Committee, 2004-2005
  • Member, Science II Ground Breaking Presentation Committee, 2004
  • Coordinator, Environmental Sciences Concentration, California State University, Stanislaus, 2002-2005
  • Chair, Visiting Lecturer Search Committee, Department of Chemistry, California State University, Stanislaus, 2002; 2003
  • Student Representative, Agriculture and Environmental Chemistry Graduate Group
  • Student Member, Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate Group Membership
  • Student Representative, City of Davis/U.C. Davis Liaison Committee
  • Graduate Student Association Representative, U.C. Davis
  • Graduate Student Association Representative, UCLA Chemistry Department
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