Professor Thomas H. Epps, III

Professor Thomas H. Epps, III
Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Department of Materials Science & Engineering
Center for Research in Soft matter & Polymers
University of Delaware
Host: Professor Marc Hillmyer

Abstract

Space Shuttles, Popcorn, and Mountains – A Road through Polymer Science

In this lecture, Thomas will reflect on key points of his past that have guided his path towards a career focused on polymer science. Starting from playing with wooden models of molecules in his father’s office to participating in team building activities at Space Camp and Space Academy in Huntsville, AL, there have been several notable events that have cemented Thomas’ interest in polymers. The story also includes numerous mentors, friends, colleagues, and random interactions that have play pivotal roles in Thomas’ personal and professional growth. He described several aspects of this story as an African American polymer scientist in a 2020 Oral History Interview with the American Institute of Physics.

Professor Epps

Thomas is the Allan & Myra Ferguson Distinguished Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware (UD) with a joint appointment in Materials Science & Engineering. He is Director of the Center for Research in Soft matter & Polymers (CRiSP), Director of the new NSF MRSEC at UD called CHARM (Center for Hybrid, Active, and Responsive Materials) and Deputy Director of the new DOE EFRC at UD called CPI (Center for Plastics Innovation). His research interests include nanostructured assemblies for targeted drug delivery and gene therapy, polymeric materials for bio-separation and ion-conduction membranes, nanostructured soft materials from biobased and plastics waste feedstocks, and polymer films for nanotemplating. He was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2017, Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 2018, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2021, Polymers Division of the American Chemical Society in 2021, the American Chemical Society in 2021, and the National Academy of Inventors in 2021. Thomas is also co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Lignolix, Inc. – a start-up focused on valorization of biomass waste. He has received several honors and awards including: the William W. Grimes Award (AIChE, 2021), Percy L. Julian Award (NOBCChE, 2020); John H. Dillon Medal (APS, 2016); Owens-Corning Early Career Award (AIChE, 2015), among others. Thomas is an associate editor for Science Advances and a member of the DOE Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee.

Jeannette Brown Lectureship

The Department of Chemistry established the Jeannette Brown Lectureship to honor the career and legacy of one of its outstanding alumna. This lectureship will bring experts in all fields of chemistry from around the world to the University of Minnesota, with emphasis on highlighting the work and careers of Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the chemical sciences. The lectureship reflects and celebrates the pioneering work of Jeannette Brown as a talented chemist in the pharmaceutical industry for 25 years, author, historian, and tireless leader and advocate for the inclusion and advancement of African American women in chemistry-related professional pursuits and careers.

Merck Logo

This lectureship is sponsored by Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, and by donations to the Jeannette Brown Lectureship Fund. Supporters can go to the Department of Chemistry’s giving page to donate.

Alumna Jeannette Brown

Brown is the first African American to receive a degree from the Department of Chemistry's graduate program, earning her master's degree in 1958. She is a former faculty associate in the Department of Pre-College Programs at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. For 25 years, she worked as a research chemist at Merck. She is the author of two books, "African American Women Chemists" and "African American Women Chemists in the Modern Era." She is a Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) Fellow of the Chemical Heritage Foundation (2004), and is a member of the first class of American Chemical Society (ACS) Fellows (2009). For her distinguished service to professionalism, she received the Henry Hill Award from the ACS Division of Professional Relations in 2020. For her work as a mentor to minority students and science education advocacy, she was elected to the Hunter College Hall of Fame in 1991; was honored by the University of Minnesota with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2005; and received the ACS national award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences in 2005.

Start date
Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 3 p.m.
End date
Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 4 p.m.
Location

The Graduate Hotel on Washington Avenue - Pinnacle Ballroom
Zoom Link

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