Office Location: ECME 226
Lab Location: ECME 157
Research Interests
Laser-based sensing and control in energy, atmospheric and industrial systems
Rieker leads the Precision Laser Diagnostics Laboratory, which aims to understand and improve energy and atmospheric systems through laser-based sensing. Activities in the laboratory span from fundamental science (light-matter interaction) to applied science (practical sensing in real world systems). The laboratory places strong emphasis on entrepreneurship in academic pursuits, from challenging the traditional ways that research has been carried out in a particular field, to actively commercializing technologies that can have a positive impact on our future. The laboratory recently spun out LongPath Technologies, Prof. Rieker’s second startup, that will offer methane monitoring and leak detection services on a regional basis for oil and gas companies. Prof. Rieker has a particular interest in mentoring and developing students into multi-faceted engineers – that is, engineers who are not only excellent researchers, but leaders, communicators, and entrepreneurs with an eye toward creating opportunity for themselves and others. He tries to put this interest into practice in his student mentorship, outreach, and classroom teaching.
Societal Impact
The work in our laboratory improves regional air quality, increases homeland security, informs combustion system design, and transforms our energy future through the creation of new technologies and real-world translation of those technologies.
Affiliations
Select Publications
Background
Associate Professor Greg Rieker joined the University of Colorado Boulder in 2013. Prior to CU Boulder, Dr. Rieker spent a year as a National Research Council (NRC) research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), exploring the use of frequency comb lasers for sensing in practical systems. Before joining NIST, he developed and studied a plasma-based particle accelerator for medical applications, first as a postdoc at Stanford and then through a company that he co-founded. During his PhD, he developed laser-based sensors for a variety of combustion applications, including internal combustion engines, scramjet engines and oil refinery process flames.
From a teaching standpoint, Dr. Rieker has a particular interest in mentoring and developing students into multi-faceted engineers who are not only excellent researchers, but leaders and entrepreneurs with an eye toward creating opportunity for themselves and others. Together with several researchers from the lab, Rieker founded LongPath Technologies, Inc. to commercialize the methane leak detection work.
He became involved with the CUBit Quantum Initiative through his collaborations with Jun Ye and Juliet Gopinath, and sees a bright future for quantum research, especially at CU Boulder.
Dr. Rieker earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri—Rolla. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate—both in mechanical engineering—from Stanford University.