By Sharon Adarlo

Mark Zondlo, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University, is the new Associate Director for External Partnerships at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at the University, starting Sept. 1, 2016. He takes over the position from Paul Chirik, the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Chemistry.

In his role as associate director at the Andlinger Center, Zondlo will lead Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership, a membership-based corporate affiliates program that is administered by the center, and will facilitate close collaboration between industrial leaders and academic researchers to enable transformational innovations in energy and environment. With strong support from the University’s Office of Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations, Zondlo will build relationships with prospective E-ffiliates members and stewarding existing partnerships.

Zondlo, who came to Princeton in 2008, is also an associated faculty member at the University’s Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, the Mid-InfraRed Technologies for Health and the Environment (MIRTHE), the Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM), and Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI). Zondlo chaired the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s strategic planning committee to review the school’s relationships with external entities. Before Princeton, he was a senior research scientist at Southwest Sciences, Inc. in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he developed different laser-based methods to detect atmospheric trace gases.

“Mark is the right person to lead E-ffiliates because of his past experience in industry, his passion and commitment to forge and build academic-industrial partnerships, and his interest in technology-driven solutions to sustainable issues,” said Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, director of the Andlinger Center. “As the Associate Director for External Partnerships, Mark will expand our reach to new partners such as government, peer energy centers, and non-governmental organizations, in addition to liaising with new and existing corporate partners.”

In his research work at Princeton, Zondlo develops novel optical methods to detect atmospheric trace gases.  Using these technologies, he conducts field experiments to understand air quality, climate change, and the nitrogen cycle.

“I am honored to lead Princeton E-ffiliates Partnership,” said Zondlo. “Collaborations with experts outside academia are critical in order to implement new technologies to meet our energy and environmental challenges. E-ffiliates is the perfect vehicle to facilitate real-world solutions to these problems.”

Zondlo earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Rice University in 1994 and a doctorate in physical chemistry in 1999 from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He was an Advanced Study Program Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research from 1999 to 2002.

The mission of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment is to develop solutions to ensure our energy and environmental future. To this end, the center supports a vibrant and expanding program of research and teaching in the areas of sustainable energy-technology development, energy efficiency, and environmental protection and remediation. A chief goal of the center is to translate fundamental knowledge into practical solutions that enable sustainable energy production and the protection of the environment and global climate from energy-related anthropogenic change.

For more information on the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University, contact Sharon Adarlo, communications specialist, at sadarlo@princeton.edu or (609) 258-9979.