Dallin graduated from Brigham Young University in 2021 with a B.S. in chemistry and a minor in environmental science, where he spent 3.5 years performing nondestructive evaluation of polymers using nonlinear spectroscopy with Dr. James Patterson. In Fall 2021, he started his chemistry PhD at Texas A&M with Dr. Jaime Grunlan, where he develops environmentally benign flame retardant treatments for flammable polymers as well as inherently flame retardant materials. Bio-derived and sustainable reagents are particularly of interest. After his PhD, he plans to continue his sustainable materials research as a chemistry professor at a PUI, where he can continue to balance research, teaching, and service to the chemistry community.

Ethan graduated from Southwestern University in 2021 with a B.S. in chemistry and was the vice president of the American Chemical Society Student Group for three consecutive years. At Southwestern University, Ethan focused on the synthesis of Schiff Base ligands and their coordination with copper for antimicrobial purposes. In the fall of 2021, Ethan started his chemistry Ph.D. at Texas A&M University under the advisement of Professor Jaime Grunlan, where he works on the development of thermally conductive dielectrics, thermally ablative shielding coatings, and super gas barrier coatings for various substrates. After his PhD, Ethan plans to pursue a career developing novel advanced materials.

Danixa graduated from the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey in 2019 with a B.S. in chemistry. During her undergraduate studies, she had the opportunity to research the nature of the interaction between a model phospholipid and the glass support in supported lipid bilayers under Prof. Cremer at Penn State University, as well as the surface dynamics of amorphous selenium thin films under Dr. Fakhraai at the University of Pennsylvania. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Danixa started working at GlaxoSmithKline as a Data Support in the Technical Services Department. In Fall 2021, she started her chemistry Ph.D. at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and joined Dr. Jaime Grunlan’s research group, where she works on developing protective coatings to impart either flame-retardancy or heat shielding behavior to a variety of materials. After graduating with her Ph.D., Danixa plans to pursue a career as a polymer scientist at a national lab or industry.

Maya graduated from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in 2022 with a B.S.E in polymer science and engineering. During her time at CWRU, she researched the vitrimerization of thermoset, rigid polyurethane foam as a method of recycling under Dr. Ica Manas-Zloczower. She also contributed to research on the functionalization of polyethersulfone membranes for the effective removal of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) from contaminated water at The University of Alabama under Dr. Steven Weinman. In the fall of 2022, Maya joined Dr. Jaime Grunlan’s research group at Texas A&M University, where she currently develops environmentally-friendly polymeric flame retardant coatings for a variety of substrates. This breadth of research exploration encompasses a range within sustainability. Upon completion of her PhD in chemistry, Maya plans to continue researching functionalized, sustainable polymeric materials at a national laboratory.

Sarah graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) in 2022 with a B.S. in chemistry summa cum laude and with highest honors. During her time at UTD, Sarah researched the synthesis of small molecule organic linkers for Metal, Covalent, and Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks (MOFs, COFs, and HOFs) under Professor Ronald Smaldone. She also completed research on facile controlled polyether-electrolyte synthesis at Michigan State University under Professor Robert Ferrier, Jr. In fall of 2022, Sarah joined the Grunlan group at Texas A&M University, where she develops environmentally benign, polymer-based flame retardant and gas barrier nanocoatings for a variety of substrates. After completing her PhD in chemistry, Sarah plans to continue researching sustainable polymer materials at a national laboratory or as an industry R&D scientist.