George Chan is currently a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California. George’s research focuses on the fundamental properties and diagnostic studies of various analytical plasmas used in spectroscopic analysis, with an emphasis on understanding the mechanisms governing interactions between plasma species, the sample’s chemical matrix, and analyte atomic or molecular systems. In recent years, he has expanded his research to address challenges in nuclear safeguards, applying his expertise in analytical atomic spectroscopy to optical uranium enrichment assays, including laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). George and his colleagues have published more than 75 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Several of his publications have been recognized with notable honors, including the Society for Applied Spectroscopy (SAS)/North American Society for Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NASLIBS) Award (2024) and the Elsevier/Spectrochimica Acta Atomic Spectroscopy Award (2004, 2013, 2016, and 2024). His other accolades include the Gordon F. Kirkbright Bursary Award (2008) and the Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award (presented by Spectroscopy magazine, 2017). He was elected as Fellow of the Society of Applied Spectroscopy (SAS) in 2025 and currently serves as editor for the review section of Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy.
