Like many creative but essentially conservative scientists, Tom Russell of Polymer Science and Engineering, in more than 30 years of research, would rarely use the term “truly transformative” about his work. Until now.
News
The recent election of associate professor Al Crosby as vice-chair of the West Coast Polymer Gordon Research Conference highlights the campus’ leadership of the most prestigious conference on polymer research, according to his colleague, associate professor Todd Emrick, the rising chair of the conference.
Scientists from the Polymer Science and Engineering Department and the University of Illinois have developed a smart new synthetic compound that not only targets some drug-resistant bacteria and kills them, but the new antibiotic takes away the germs’ most potent defense – the mutation that could provide new resistance will also kill them, leaving no escape.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has named University of Massachusetts Amherst a “Community-Engaged University” under a rigorous classification process developed to document community engagement in the college curriculum, and separately in external outreach and partnerships.
The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) has received a six-year, $13.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study nanoscale polymer assemblies, polymers in highly charged solvents for potential use for drug delivery and harnessing thin-film instabilities for specialized sensors.
Professor Thomas McCarthy, Polymer Science and Engineering, is one of seven exceptional UMass faculty members who will be presented with an award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Research and Creative Activity at the fourth annual Faculty Convocation at UMass Amherst.
Kurose’s appointment is for two years and a search for a permanent dean is planned for the 2009-10 academic year. A national search is underway for a Nursing dean and Swinney will serve until an appointment is made.
Polymer scientist Maria Santore and her colleagues have developed a novel surface containing tiny nanoparticles that can capture and manipulate much larger particles in a flowing solution with great precision. Santore’s research, performed in collaboration with chemist Vincent Rotello and chemical engineer Jeffrey Davis, was recently featured in Nature Nanotechnology.
Campus researchers, led by Professor Greg Tew of UMass Amherst Polymer Science & Engineering, have developed plastics containing “smart elements” that can instantly detect the presence of mercury at or below the drinking water standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, even when other metals are present in the solution.
Professor Al Crosby has received the 2008 Rohm & Haas New Faculty Award. According to the Rohm & Haas website, "The Rohm and Haas TCO New Faculty Award recognizes a non-tenured faculty member at an accredited university for his/her outstanding research achievement or potential in chemistry, polymers or materials science. Candidate nominations and selection of the award recipient are conducted by Rohm and Haas technologists.". Congratulations Al!