Emanuela Del Gado - College of Arts & Sciences

Georgetown University Faculty in Research

Dr. Emanuela Del Gado is a Provost's Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Physics. She is a theoretical physicist working on engineering motivated problems. She uses statistical mechanics and computational physics to model the structure and dynamics of engineering materials like gels, glasses, and amorphous solids. Emanuela taught and conducted research in Italy, France, and Switzerland, before bringing her talents to Georgetown, and has produced dozens of publications and writings within her fields of interest. She has contributed to the new theoretical description of amorphous solids-- specifically, the material properties of concrete and cement. This research has been used in an effort to develop an environmentally-sustainable form of these constructive materials that have become so essential to our society and infrastructure. Table of Contents 0:00 - Intro 1:30 - How did you become interested in the topics you are so passionate about now? 2:15 - Is yours an unusual approach to one’s selected area of emphasis? 3:00 - Tell us how concrete and cement came into the equation 4:10 - Did your engineering colleagues draw you into application or did you seek it out? 5:00 - Did you feel a pull and a push between theory and application in your field? 6:20 - Are these two fields opposites in the way they approach problems? 7:25 - How doe 0 s a system approach yield so much insight for concrete and cement? 9:00 - Is making concrete energy-intensive? 9:50 - Is concrete production increasing globally? 11:15 - How would your research make the world better? 13:05 - Are your publications a mix of theory and application? 14:00 - Are there protocols and insights you’ve gathered over the years as a female theoretical physicist? 15:10 - How do you think of research and teaching balance within your career? 16:30 - What’s the most fascinating thing you’re working on right now? Music Main Theme: “Corporate Technology” by Scott Holmes Background: “Horizon Soundscapes” by RF Soundtracks