A distinguished group of Judges from industry, academia, and government laboratories had the task of determining the winners of the PMSE Best Poster Competition at the Fall ACS meeting in Chicago. Congratulations to our winners, who were also recognized at the POLY/PMSE Awards Reception.
HANNAH DEDMON
North Carolina State University
Antiplasticizing Interactions Between Biobased Small Molecules and Polyvinyl Alcohol: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Hannah Dedmon’s passion for sustainable polymer research was sparked in Beirut, Lebanon, where the NC State Wilson College of Textiles alumna was providing relief services to refugees displaced by the Syrian civil war. Unfolding all around her was a waste management crisis, polluting the land and plaguing the people of Lebanon. Having a BS in Textile Technology, she wondered how textile applications could restore and prevent this pollution. Determined to find solutions, this Charlotte, N.C. native enrolled in the Textile Engineering master’s program at N.C. State’s Wilson College of Textiles where she joined the Ford Innovation Team investigating sustainable methods to fabricate high performance fibers from biomass additives, under the advisement of Dr. Ericka Ford. These efforts highlighted the need for a computational approach to elucidate polymer-additive interactions, so she began molecular modeling while co-advised by Dr. Melissa Pasquinelli. Continuing research on sustainable bioplastics, Hannah is now a PhD student in the Fiber and Polymer Science program utilizing data science to study biomass plasticization of cellulose derivatives. Hannah has completed a graduate certificate in Materials Informatics while a fellow of the NSF data-enabled Science and Engineering of Atomic Structures (SEAS) NRT.
ELINA GHIMIRE
University of Chicago
Trainable Soft Materials Using Dynamic Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Elina Ghimire is from a southeastern city in Nepal called Biratnagar. She went to the University of Southern Mississippi for her undergraduate degree where she obtained her Bachelor’s in Polymer Science. During her undergraduate degree, Elina worked with Professor Yaon C. Simon where her project focused on the coassembly behavior of block copolymers in vesicular structures. Currently, Elina is a graduate student in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. She is currently working in Professor Stuart J. Rowan’s group where her project is focused on the study of dynamic liquid crystal elastomers as trainable/adaptable materials. During her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and reading.
JADA JACKMAN
Drexel University
Interfacial Photopolymerizatiokn: Method for High Resolution Digital Processing of Recyclable Thermoplastics
Jada is a chemical engineer who is currently getting her Ph.D. at Drexel University. Her work focuses on 3D printing and polymer characterizations, with herself constructed a 3D printer used for a new 3D printing technique. She completed her B.S. at Lehigh University in chemical engineering as well. When not in the lab, she enjoys dancing, making music, and hanging out with her friends.
SAMUEL KOPFINGER
University of Chicago
Redox Active Particles with Stimuli Responsive Disulfide Crosslinks for Controlled Electrode Cleaning
Sam Kopfinger grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO. There he attended Saint Charles Community College where he later transferred and completed a Bachelors’ Degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Missouri in 2020. During his undergraduate studies, Sam also served 6 years in the United States Marine Corps reserve. He currently is attending the University of Chicago studying applications of polymeric materials in redox flow batteries under Prof. Shrayesh Patel in the Molecular Engineering department.
AMBERLY VU
Stanford University
Comparison of Ureteral Stent Biomaterials: Encrustation Profile in Metabolic and Infectious Artificial Urine Models
Amberly recently graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics, where her research focused on gene editing and CRISPR technology. She plans to apply to medical school and continue research as a physician-scientist
Samuel Kopfinger, Amberly Vu