Gary E. Wnek
Editor-in-Chief
Professor and Chair, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Joseph F. Toot., Jr., Professor of Engineering
Case Western Reserve University
Gary Wnek has been teaching various aspects of polymer science and engineering since 1981 as faculty member at MIT (Materials Science and Engineering), RPI (Chemistry), and as Founding Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at VCU. He joined Case Western Reserve University in 2004. His research interests include fibrous polymers and gels for applications in drug delivery and regenerative medicine, synthetic macromolecular constructs that mimic physiological functions, adding value to common polymers using uncommon processing approaches, and flammability mitigation of common polymers. Gary earned his Ph.D. In Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and his B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He received the John W. Hyatt Award (benefit to society) from the Society of Plastics Engineers in 2007, and was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2024.
Tobias Abt
Associate Professor of Materials Science
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya UPC (Spain)
Tobias Abt has conducted research on continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, natural fiber composites, bio-based polymer blends, plastics recycling, and lightweight materials such as aerogels. Tobias is responsible for mechanical characterization, compounding and additive manufacturing at the Catalan Plastics Center, and a member of the ebPOLICOM research group, with more than 20 published articles. He is currently working on new educational strategies of polymer education and innovative approaches to teach polymer science to students of all levels. Tobias earned a MSc. in Polymer Technology from Aalen University of Applied Sciences (Germany), and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from UPC.
Tristan Clemons
Assistant Professor
School of Polymer Science and Engineering
University of Southern Mississippi
Tristan Clemons completed his PhD studies in 2014 at the University of Western Australia. At the completion of his PhD he was awarded an Australian Biomedical Research Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia to investigate nanomaterials for wound healing and scar treatments following burn injuries. In 2018, he relocated to Chicago to join the laboratory of Prof. Samuel Stupp at Northwestern University as a post-doctoral research fellow. He has won several awards including the Exxon Mobil Western Australian (WA) Student Scientist of the Year for his PhD work, a CAS SciFinder Future Leader of Chemistry in 2018, and a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award in Engineering and Applied Science from Oak Ridge Associated Universities in 2023. In the Fall of 2021 Tristan started as an Assistant Professor within the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi, where the Clemons Lab focusses on the development of polymeric biomaterials for tissue regeneration and drug delivery applications.
Elizabeth M. Cosgriff-Hernandez
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Judson S. Swearingen Regents Chair in Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Elizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez, Ph.D. is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and holder of the Judson S. Swearingen Regents Chair in Engineering. She received a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Case Western Reserve University under the guidance of Professors Anne Hiltner and Jim Anderson. She then completed a UT-TORCH Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Tony Mikos at Rice University with a focus on orthopedic tissue engineering. Dr. Cosgriff-Hernandez joined the faculty of the Biomedical Engineering Department at Texas A&M University in 2007 prior to moving to The University of Texas at Austin in 2017. Her laboratory specializes in the development of polymeric biomaterials to improve clinical outcomes of medical devices and regeneration strategies. Her expertise in biomaterials and contributions to the field have been recognized by election as Fellow of the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society, and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. She is a co-founder of Rhythio Medical, on the scientific advisory board of ECM Biosurgery, and a consultant to several companies on biostability evaluation of medical devices. Dr. Cosgriff-Hernandez is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B and currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Biomedical Engineering Society and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. She has previously served as President of the Society for Biomaterials, Associate Editor of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Part B, and chair of the NIH study section on Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering.
Jennifer Laaser
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry
University of Pittsburgh
Jennifer Laaser received her PhD in 2013 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she worked with Martin Zanni to develop new methods in ultrafast spectroscopy for investigating the structure and dynamics of molecules at interfaces. After leaving UW-Madison, she was a postdoctoral associate at the University of Minnesota, where she worked with Timothy Lodge to develop a detailed understanding of micelle-based polyelectrolyte complexes for gene delivery applications. She joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in August 2016, where her research program focuses on the physical chemistry of charged and ion-containing polymers, and on mechanochemistry in polymer networks. She received an NSF CAREER award to support this work in 2018 and was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2024. Outside of her research, Prof. Laaser has a strong interest in teaching and outreach, and is the author of a free, open-source guided inquiry curriculum for undergraduate courses in polymer science available at https://github.com/jlaaser/pogil-polymers/releases/latest.
Christopher W. Barney
Assistant Professor
School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering
University of Akron
Christopher W. Barney is an Assistant Professor of Polymer Engineering at the University of Akron. He received his Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2020 and performed postdoctoral research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Chris joined the faculty at the University of Akron in the Fall of 2023 and his research is focused on experimental soft material mechanics, adhesion, and multiaxial mechanical testing. He has expertise in topics including polymer rheology, fracture mechanics, and polymer processing.
Timothy P. Long
Professor, School of Molecular Sciences
Arizona State University
Timothy P. Long received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech, and he subsequently joined both Eastman Kodak and Eastman Chemical companies for eight years upon graduation. He joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech, where he also served as the Director of the Macromolecules Innovation Institute until 2019. In 2020, Prof. Long accepted an interdisciplinary faculty position across the School of Molecular Sciences (SMS) and the School for Engineering Matter, Transport, and Energy (SEMTE) at Arizona State University (ASU) where he launched and now leads the Biodesign Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing (BCSM3). In addition to over 440 peer-reviewed publications, his research awards include the 2023 3M Excellence in Adhesion Award, 2022 Paul J Flory Award, 2020 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award, 2015 Virginia Scientist of the Year, 2010 Virginia Tech Alumni Research Award, ACS PMSE Collaborative Research Award, PSTC Carl Dahlquist Award, 2019 ACS Rubber Division Thermoplastic Elastomer Award, and the ACS POLY Mark Scholar Award. His most recent research efforts address the need for tailored advanced macromolecules for advanced manufacturing (3D printing), including vat photopolymerization, direct ink write, binder jetting, powder bed fusion, and melt extrusion. His research ranges from controlled polymerization processes for block copolymers to high performance engineering polymers for emerging technology with a lens of earth sustainability.
Danielle J. Mai
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
Stanford University
Danielle J. Mai earned her B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois. Dr. Mai conducted postdoctoral research at MIT as an Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow. The Mai Lab engineers biopolymers and stimuli-responsive polymers at the molecular scale. Specifically, the group integrates precise molecular design with multi-scale experimental characterization to advance materials development and to enhance fundamental understanding of soft matter physics. Dr. Mai’s work has been recognized through the AIChE 35 Under 35 Award, APS DPOLY/UKPPG Lecture Exchange, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Program Award, ACS PMSE Arthur K. Doolittle Award, and MIT Technology Review List of 35 Innovators Under 35.
Tim Osswald
Kuo K. and Cindy F. Wang Professor Emeritus
Mechanical Engineering Department
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tim Osswald is a Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he co-directed the Polymer Engineering Center. He currently is the CEO of AFLATEX Technologies in Lisbon, Portugal. Originally from Cúcuta, Colombia, he received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the field of Polymer Processing. He spent two and one half years at the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Aachen, Germany, as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. He received the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Young Investigator Award, as well as the 2001 VDI-K Dr.-Richard-Escales-Preis. In 2006 he was named an Honorary Professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany and in 2011 he was named Honorary Professor at the National University of Colombia. Professor Osswald teaches polymer and polymer composites processing and designing with polymers and polymer composites and research in the same areas. Professor Osswald has published over 300 papers, the books Materials Science of Polymers for Engineers (Hanser, 1996, 2003, 2012), Polymer Processing Fundamentals (Hanser 1998), Injection Molding Handbook (Hanser, 2001, 2007) Compression Molding (Hanser, 2003), Polymer Processing Modeling and Simulation (Hanser 2006), International Plastics Handbook (Hanser 2006, 2019), Plastics Testing and Characterization (Hanser, 2008), Understanding Polymer Processing (2010, 2017, 2025), Polymer Rheology (Hanser 2015) and Discontinuous Fiber Reinforced Composites (2020). His books have been translated into Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Farsi. Professor Osswald is also the series editor of Plastics Pocket Power (Hanser, 2001), which currently includes 6 books, is the Editor of Polymer Composites, Editor for the Americas of the Journal of Polymer Engineering and the English language Editor for the Journal of Plastics Technology. Professor Osswald serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of several industries and is part of a Commission to create a Science Ministry in Colombia.
Alicyn M. Rhoades
Professor of Engineering
Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Penn State Behrend
Alicyn M. Rhoades is Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at Penn State Behrend. Her research focuses on polymer crystallization, rheology, and injection molding, with applications in sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing. Before joining Penn State, she worked in industry on the commercialization of sustainable polymer technologies. A 2025 Fellow of the North American Thermal Analysis Society (NATAS), Dr. Rhoades was also named an ASEE “Top 20 Under 40” honoree and is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award.
Margaret Sobkowicz
Department of Plastics Engineering
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Margaret Sobkowicz is a Professor of Plastics Engineering at UMass Lowell. She has a B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and Colorado School of Mines, respectively. She held a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship at National Institute of Standards and Technology, and she joined UMass Lowell in 2011. Her research interests include renewable polymers, polymer nanocomposites, plastics processing and recycling, rheology, energy applications of polymers, green chemistry, and climate change. At UMass Lowell she leads an NSF Research Traineeship in water and materials sustainability, and she works toward increasing the participation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers.
Uttandaraman Sundararaj
Professor
University of Calgary
Dr. Uttandaraman Sundararaj is a Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary, where he leads pioneering research in polymer nanocomposites, polymer compounding, and advanced materials processing. With over 25 years of experience spanning academia and industry, his work bridges sustainable materials innovation, research excellence, and teaching leadership.
Before joining Calgary, he was a Professor at the University of Alberta and Site Research Manager at General Electric, overseeing polymer R&D and process innovation. A Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Society of Plastics Engineers, Dr. Sundararaj has also been recognized among the Top 10 Cited SPE Journal Authors (2021–2022) and served as President of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (2016–2018).
He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta.
