(4gd) Molecular Engineering of Advanced Polymeric Materials for Energy and Sustainability

Polymeric materials are ubiquitous in our society due to their relatively low cost and large parameter space that can modify their physical and chemical properties for a range of purposes. As synthetic techniques improve the ability to control the design, sequence, and functionality of polymers, their breadth of applications will only continue to grow and become more specialized. Looking to the future, one of the key interests for this field is to utilize more sustainable materials to reduce the reliance on oil-sourced feed stocks, and to improve reusability to address the growing volume of plastic wastes worldwide. My research interests broadly focus on the development and optimization of polymeric systems for engineering applications. This includes: (1) sustainable polyacetal-based chemistry and reaction kinetics, (2) stimuli responsive materials, and (3) the use polymeric systems for energy conversion/storage. My approach to materials research emphasizes understanding and applying fundamental principles of chemistry and chemical engineering to guide molecular design for engineered material systems.

My previous research experience has focused on the synthesis and engineering of polymers for applications in semiconductor manufacturing, transient technology, and solid-state batteries. In particular, I have helped expand the breadth of aldehyde-based polyacetals with the ability to rapidly degrade in the solid-state back to their constituent monomers. My understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of these materials have led to me aiding chemical companies in scale-up and production of kilogram quantities of these polymers for defense applications. Additionally, this research produced several patent applications that are currently being licensed for commercial use. As a postdoctoral scholar, I have been working on single-ion conducting, solid polymer electrolytes for Li-ion batteries.

Based on my expertise, I identified three research areas where I will have a high likelihood of success: (1) Further expanding the scope of aldehyde-based polymerization chemistries through strategic monomer and catalyst design. This includes exploring chiral and Lewis pair polymerization catalyst systems that will provide greater depth and control over polymer synthesis. (2) Combining the chemical property advantages of fluorinated polymers with the stimuli-responsive properties of polyacetals for recyclable, high-performance polymers. (3) Designing polymer-based electrolytes for electrochemical engineering applications, such as energy conversion and storage or separations.

The goal of this research is to both advance the fundamental understanding of polymer chemistry and applying this knowledge to design superior materials systems for engineering applications. My group will utilize interdisciplinary skills to carry out significant results in both research and industry relevant areas.

Teaching Interests

I am very enthusiastic about mentoring young researchers and teaching higher education. I first found my passion for teaching as an undergraduate teaching assistant for general chemistry at the University of Texas. I got to experience teaching using a flipped-classroom approach for class size of 300 students in a challenging subject. I enjoyed the experience so much that I spent 3 years in this position, where I became a leader with responsibilities of instructing and mentoring younger teaching assistants. I continued this passion for teaching to graduate school, where I have planned and taught over a dozen lectures for a graduate/undergraduate elective class on The Science and Engineering of Microelectronics Fabrication. For two semesters I organized and led a Polymer Communications seminar class that brings together graduate students from across departments that are interested in polymer research. The class invited visiting scientists, industry representatives and graduate student speakers to discuss various aspects of polymer science and engineering. I feel very confident in teaching core chemical engineering courses in thermodynamics or kinetics and reaction engineering, or elective subjects like microelectronics fabrication, polymer chemistry, and electrochemical engineering.

Mentoring young scientists and researchers has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me in my graduate career. I have had the joy of mentoring 11 undergraduate researchers during my time a PhD student. In addition to a multitude of awards these mentees have won, four of these individuals were very talented and I helped aid them in pursuing their own graduate school careers at well-respected research institutions. As a postdoctoral scholar, I have also began mentoring graduate students in my research group. I am truly excited about the prospect of advising and mentoring graduate students in my future lab and aiding them to reach their career goals in science and engineering.