(4ag) Leveraging Chemical, Physical, and Engineering Approaches for Functional Polymers

Polymer materials have revolutionized modern life, from commodity thermoplastics used in all facets of industrial production to precision biomaterials that enable cutting-edge medical treatments. While synthetic protocols and engineering approaches allow polymer scientists to build macromolecules of arbitrary complexity and assemble them into functional devices, it remains a grand challenge to develop physical rules that allow for the rational design of soft materials with targeted properties and responses. Furthermore, developing and understanding new ways to construct materials with advanced properties that are also amendable to reconfigurability and recyclability over the lifetime of the material is one of the defining challenges of the field, yet cannot be addressed without a highly disciplinary approach that draws on insight from chemistry, engineering, and physics.

Building on my graduate work on light-responsive polymers and my post-doctoral work on dynamic covalent polymer networks, my group will leverage new polymer chemistries, fundamental physics, and cutting-edge engineering approaches to realize functional and responsive polymer materials and develop structure-property relationships that govern their utility. Initially, we will focus on three main areas: (1) controlling the mechanics of dynamic covalent networks through polymer architecture and assembly; (2) designing new multi-responsive dynamic covalent materials; and (3) light-based additive manufacturing of spatially-heterogeneous materials. My expertise in interdisciplinary materials synthesis, fabrication, and characterization makes me uniquely suited to lead a group that addresses these challenges through a rational and multi-modal approach. In each thrust, my group will first design and synthesize model systems to decouple complex design parameters. Then, we will use a variety of experimental techniques to probe the physics across length scales that govern material properties. Finally, we will use this insight to develop quantitative structure-property relationships and use these to engineer materials with specific properties. Our work is anticipated to address both fundamental problems within soft matter and a myriad of practical applications. Soft materials research is inherently multi-disciplinary and students in my group will develop both highly skilled expertise in all facets of polymer synthesis and characterization as well as a breadth of knowledge across the chemical engineering discipline. Training in my group will prepare students for successful careers in both industry, academia, and beyond.

Teaching Interests

In addition to establishing a world-class research program, I am motivated to pursue an academic career to educate students in the classroom, the lab, and the broader community. I am committed to developing an educational program in both my lab and coursework that addresses both technical training in core chemical engineering principles as well wholistic development of trainees and students to develop critical skills such as written communication, oral presentations, and project leadership. As a trained engineer and polymer scientist, I intend to teach and develop courses that draw on my background in chemical engineering, chemistry, and soft matter physics. I look forward to teaching core chemical engineering classes such as thermodynamics, kinetics, and heat and mass transport. In addition, I am interested in developing courses on polymer chemistry and polymer physics at both the undergraduate and graduate level. To accommodate different learning styles and encourage student success, I plan to implement a variety of lectures, demonstrations, and in-class discussions. Furthermore, students will participate in a variety of learning activities beyond traditional homework and exams including oral presentations and team-based projects to help develop professional skills. Finally, as an educator, I believe it is a professional responsibility to foster a collaborative and inclusive teaching environment, and I intend to center anti-racist practices in my curricula to support the success of all students.