(54e) Hierarchical Structure and Organization of Synthetic and Biopolymer Systems for the Advancement of Functional Material Development

From their fundamental building blocks, many soft- and hard- materials have structural organization on several length-scales which are a function of their original processing, chemistry, and molecular spatial orientation. Our mechanistic understanding of these molecular arrangements have and will continue to dictate our ability to progress future technology and improve the comfort of our lives. To-date we have made great progress towards our understanding and control of synthetic soft matter systems; however, there still exists several domains and examples where natural and biological systems greatly outperform our product efficiency, volume, and complexity. In these cases there is much for us to learn from nature that may be applies to our synthetic processing capabilities. Here I will discuss a few examples these important translations from advanced biological systems to synthetic polymer materials synthesis.Them I will follow that with som of my work in the area of complex synthetic and biopolymer material organization and characterization. Finally, I will close with a pathway towards continuing to push the boundaries for natural/synthetic translational polymer materials.

Research Philosophy: Functional soft matter and hybrid nanomaterials play a critical role in the optimal function of today’s society and the evolution of future science and technology. Precedent to the use of such materials in advanced technological applications is the fundamental understanding of the structure and morphology of these ordered synthetic and natural polymeric systems. The primary research interests in my lab may be divided into four sectors: 1) Polymer Engineering of ordered synthetic polymer systems for the development of advanced functional materials for human performance and society, 2) Developing the next generation of in-situ electron microscopy techniques and devices for the characterization of soft matter and other beam sensitive materials, and, 3) Exploration of biological and natural polymeric assemblies for the development of new synthetic processing methods for the synthesis of hierarchical synthetic polymer architectures.

Teaching Philosophy: The traditional role of an educator is to bridge the gap between students’ current knowledge and the content knowledge to be obtained. Today’s students have access to more tools and information via the internet than any other generation before them. Often times, online platforms and online open courseware can be more effective teaching agents than traditional teachers, while also offering the following advantages: paced to the individual learner, less rigid, less psychologically demanding, and free. Due to changes in the global landscape of education, the roles of the 21^st century educator must be equally adaptive and offer much more benefit to the student than now readily available content knowledge.