In this episode we listen to Dr Aurelien Forget talk about his work and research interests. He also shares details about a fun and educative card game that he developed called Macromolecular Games: A Free Radical Polymerization Card Game. This card game is made for anyone that wish to understand polymerization and can even be customized with you own logo or tag that you would like displayed on the cards (great for companies and Universities). The aim of this game is to form polymer chains with the higher molecular weight. Only terminated polymer chains are counted. ​The set is composed of two ..read more

Dr. Tristan Clemons is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Clemons established his lab at USM in 2021 and quickly started exciting research in Soft Matter Science. The Clemons group is multidisciplinary in nature, firmly embedded at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and engineering. His research efforts are aimed at the interface of synthetic and biological molecular self-assembly to provide new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of disease and injury.   Clemons Lab Webpage: https://www.clemonslab.com/   “Proapoptotic Peptide Brush Polyme ..read more

Dr. Barney Grubbs discusses with Jacob the importance of controllably degradable polymers and their significance in improving material sustainability. Dr. Grubbs also talks about his academic journey, taking us all around the United States as he shares his exciting research! The Grubbs research group investigates questions addressing the common ground shared by polymer, organic, and materials chemistry. Guided by physics, theory, and engineering, they design, synthesize, and characterize polymer materials.  Any questions for Alicia and Jacob? They would love for you to reach out! Contact ..read more

Ingmar Van Hengel is a PhD candidate at Delft University in Biomedical Engineering. He also has a mind for business when he created his first startup company called SkinPrint for the treatment of burn wounds using bioprinting to develop skin using the patient's cells and biocompatible natural polymer materials. He then shifted his focus to developing multifunctional 3D implants for orthopedic patients that are longer lasting and can combat bacterial infections. He has continued to grow his expertise in the Digital health field and was a business analyst for PatchAI, which develops intelligent ..read more

Dr. Brooks Abel is an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where the Abel group conducts research at the interfaces of polymer organic chemistry, catalysis, and materials science. Dr. Brooks and his group pursue application-driven polymer chemistry, where the desired chemical identity, physical properties, and end-use of the polymer materials are used to guide the development of new polymerization methods. They also follow a methodology approach to discovering new polymerization reactions to push the field of polymer chemistry towards previously unobtainable control o ..read more

Today we are talking to Dr Laura Frazier, Chief Scientist of TaikiUSA, and Dr Megan Coates, R&D manager at the Stellenbosch Nanofiber Company, about their collaboration and creation of Bōshi Beauty nanofiber-based product line. Stellenbosch Nanofiber Company has been developing nanofiber-based products, including advanced wound dressings, tissue engineering scaffolds and cosmetic products. TaikiUSA is a global leader in skincare and makeup tools. Megan received her PhD in Chemistry at the Rhodes University in South Africa and have been working at the SNC for over 8 years as Research and De ..read more

Hello everyone! Alicia, here! So at the time of this recording I am approximately 38 weeks pregnant and a little sick as you could probably tell from my voice. This means that I am now on maternity leave while you are listening to this episode and taking care of our newborn! Nonetheless the show goes on! And I am happy to say that our Podcast team has grown. You will be introduced to our new co-host soon! In this episode, we are speaking to Zininzi Mpafa, a Laboratory Analyst at Clariter. She is an experience scientist in the Petrochemical industry and Environment industry (Ocean and Coastal R ..read more

In this episode we hear from Dr. Benjamin Alameda, a brand new PhD graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Alameda specializes in the design, fabrication, and characterization of polymer networks that degrade in the presence of different external stimuli. As we continue to mold the future of plastics toward more environmentally friendly designs, we need to consider the "cradle-to-grave approach" - that is, designing a polymer material with consideration of the final product's full lifecycle. Imagine tires that can be fully broken down and recycled after several years of use ..read more

In this episode we hear from Dr. Christoph Herfurth, a researcher from Fraunhofer. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft based in Germany is the world’s leading applied research organization. Prioritizing key future-relevant technologies and commercializing its findings in business and industry, it plays a major role in the innovation process. A trailblazer and trendsetter in innovative developments and research excellence, it is helping shape our society and our future. Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently operates 76 institutes and research units throughout Germany. Over 30,000 emplo ..read more

In this episode we are talking to Tshepo Mangoele, CEO and Founder of LignOrganic (PTY) Ltd. This company is the first in Africa to produce Sulphur-free Lignin, a natural polymer with endless possibilities and applications! Tshepo is a Chemical Engineer with a vision to make environmentally-friendly biomaterials and sustainable products the new normal in markets for cosmetics, packaging, agriculture and biomaterials. We also get to learn more from him about how it feels to start one's own company and the challenges that come along with such a fulfilling endeavor. I hope you enjoy listening to ..read more