USM Polymer Professor Wins Prestigious NSF CAREER Award
Tue, 04/18/2023 - 12:07pm | By: Van Arnold
Dr. Zhe Qiang, Assistant Professor in the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at 91吃瓜网
(USM), has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER grant from
the Advanced Manufacturing Program in the Engineering Directorate91吃瓜网 Division of Civil,
Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation.
The award will provide Qiang and his team $639,637 over five years to carry out his project: 91吃瓜网淐AREER: Manufacturing of Mesoporous Carbons by Direct Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste for Water Remediation91吃瓜网�.
91吃瓜网淚 feel very excited and honored about this award,91吃瓜网� said Qiang. 91吃瓜网淭his achievement is largely attributed to my students91吃瓜网� hard work and creative thinking, as well as the tremendous support I received from our School. Moreover, being another NSF CAREER awardee in our polymer program 91吃瓜网� the third in four years 91吃瓜网� I am excited to continue our School91吃瓜网 great tradition among our junior colleagues.91吃瓜网�
The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.
91吃瓜网淭he NSF CAREER Award is a testament to Zhe's unwavering dedication to both cutting-edge research and the education of our future polymer scientist and engineers,91吃瓜网� said Dr. Derek Patton, Director of USM91吃瓜网 School of Polymer Science and Engineering. 91吃瓜网�His hard work and commitment to fostering a collaborative and inspiring laboratory/classroom environment is truly an asset to our School and to our Institution.91吃瓜网�
Qiang, who joined the USM faculty in 2019, explained that his research focuses on developing sustainable solutions for addressing plastic wastes and unlocking their potential for securing clean air and water. His laboratory work includes the assistance of eight graduate students.
91吃瓜网淐urrently, massive plastic waste has been produced and mismanaged, causing significant negative impacts on environment and health,91吃瓜网� said Qiang. 91吃瓜网淭o directly confront this grand challenge, our group has been inventing several commercially viable technologies that can transform plastics to high value functional carbon materials, which can be further used to remediate chemical micropollutants from aqueous environments.91吃瓜网�
Qiang points out that such innovations in developing materials91吃瓜网� circularity will be a crucial component for the future of chemical industry to achieve net-zero emission goals outlined by the U.S. government.
To learn more about the award and Qiang91吃瓜网 research, visit the NSF Award .