Group Members

Glenn Spiering

Education:
Ph.D. student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
B.S. Plastics Engineering Technology, Penn State Behrend, Erie PA

Current Research Objectives:
Manipulate phase separation parameters to tune the morphology of semicrystalline polymer aerogels and obtain desirable mechanical properties. Characterize polymeric systems using x-ray scattering methods.

Garrett Godshall

Education:
Ph.D. student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA

Current Research Objectives:
Evaluate the morphology, phase separation behavior, and mechanical properties of various semi-crystalline polymeric thermoreversible gel systems.

Michelle Pomatto

Education:
Ph.D. student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
B.S. Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA

Current Research Objectives:
Understand the morphologies resulting from high temperature isothermal gelation of semi-crystalline polymers and the effect on blocky functionalization in the gel state.

Emily Plunkett

Education:
Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry
B.S. Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA

Current Research Objectives:
Investigating polymer materials for more efficient fuel cell membranes. Currently examining different ways of functionalizing semi-crystalline polymers in the gel state and how these methods affect the properties of the resulting material and their membranes.

Erin Crater

Education:
Ph.D. student in Chemistry
B.S. ACS Certified Chemistry, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS
B.S. Polymer Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS

Current Research Objectives:
Investigating morphology-property relationships in ionomer membranes for fuel cells

Isabela Coutinho

Education:
Ph.D. student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
B.S. and M.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of ABC, Brazil

Current Research Objectives:
Relations between structure-morphology-properties of polymeric materials

Mark McCrary

Education: 

Ph.D. student in Macromolecular Science and Engineering
B.S. Chemistry, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Current Research Objectives:

Heterogeneous, gel-state functionalization of semi-crystalline polymers to afford novel block copolymers for hydrogen fuel cell and blend compatibilization applications.