Matthew Bernards joins the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering as an assistant professor. Prior to joining the University of Idaho, Bernards served as an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Missouri, where he also held appointments in the Nuclear Engineering Program and Bioengineering Department. He graduated with his doctorate in chemical engineering and nanotechnology from the University of Washington in 2008. Bernards’ research group is focused on multiple aspects of materials science and engineering. One aspect of his research group is focused on understanding the interactions that occur between biological entities and material interfaces and using this knowledge to design biomaterials that facilitate healing at the molecular level. Another aspect of his research group is focused on developing micro- and nano-scale power generation systems based on nuclear energy.