Two McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science professors received awards this month for research excellence.

Giuseppe Buscarnera, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, was awarded a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation. He will receive at least $400,000 over the next five years to research how environmental processes and human behavior contribute to the deterioration of the mechanical properties of geological materials.

The CAREER program recognizes new faculty who will most likely become leaders in their respective fields in the future. Buscarnera joined Northwestern’s faculty in 2011.

Christopher Wolverton, professor of materials science and engineering, received the 12th annual Martin E. and Gertrude G. Walder Award for Research Excellence. The award is given by the provost and recognizes superior research at NU.

Wolverton studies the application of first principles of quantum mechanical calculations to solid-state materials. He wants to optimize the materials’ properties and help answer problems of energy storage and conversion.

“Chris has been very successful in all aspects of research, teaching and service since joining the highly ranked materials science and engineering department in 2007,” Julio Ottino, dean of McCormick, said in a news release.

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