Chemist makes new home at Dal

	Joe Zwanziger

For Joe Zwanziger, coming to Dalhousie's Department of Chemistry and theÊInstitute for Research in Materials (IRM) last year was a "dead-easy decision."

Canada's research funding environment attracted the former Indiana University chemist to become the Canada Research Chair in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies of Materials. And at Dalhousie, he uses a spanking new $2.8 million spectrometer. The best available in Canada, the machine gives a precise picture of a material's structure at theÊatomicÊlevel.

Seeing substances in microscopic detail helps theÊresearcher create innovative materials to solve real problems. Zwanziger is just one of 80 IRM researchers who are creating everything from stronger dental materials to newer, better artificial joints.

Zwanziger's own research involves finding new plastics for batteries. But he also participates in other research partnerships, including a project to create tougher concrete.

His spectrometer is also attracting partnerships with researchers from other Atlantic universities. As he says, "There's not enough time to do all the collaborations that crop up."

Professionally, his new home has been a great fit. "The research is going really well. I'm having a blast."