Members List Chuting Deng Read More Zhuohong Wu Read More Emmanuel Alejandro Garcia Villatoro Read More Christina Hemmingsen Read More Nicholas (Nick) Van Zee Read More Danyang Chen Read More Steven Chapman Read More Tetsu Ouchi Read More Scott Danielsen Read More Kelsie Wentz Read More Shu Wang Read More Haley Beech Read More Emily Wearing Read More Curt Waltmann Read More Jianshe Xia Read More Cody Ng Read More Yunyan Sun Read More Elvis McFee Read More Sophie Melvin Read More Clara Troyano-Valls Read More Edgar Mejia Read More Julian Smith-Jones Read More Zina S. Medina-Barreto Read More Allison Rattay Read More Chinyere (Connie) Okeke Read More Jade Watson Read More Feiyang Liu Read More Brogan Dietsche Read More Xavier Simpson Read More Twila Lefeber Read More Madelyn Gregory Read More Sean Hsu Read More Noy Nechmad Read More Hao Guo Read More Yao Xiong Read More Yu Zheng Read More Fangbai Xie Read More Jorge Leganés Bayón Read More Mary Ma Read More Yixin Hu Read More Claire Ogilvie Read More Jafer Vakil Read More Jolly Patro Read More Nicholas (Nick) Fromel Read More Xiangyin Zhao Read More Rowina Bell Read More Thomas Hicks Read More Anthony Mack Read More Alayna Johnson Read More Calvin Shih Read More Samina Yasmeen Read More Brian Richard Carrick Read More Devosmita Sen Read More Shixuan (Shishan) Wei Read More Ana Paula Kitos Vasconcelos Read More Ryann Kemmerling Read More Grace Yao Read More Annika (Alex) Foret Read More Herbert (Herb) Wakefield IV Read More Sunay Dilara Ekim Read More Alexis Martell Monterroza Read More Anna Gray Davis Read More Xiao Huang Read More Gianmarco Terrones Read More Ilia Kevlishvili Read More Juan Antonio Cintron Cruz Read More Abe Herzog-Arbeitman Read More Su Nguyen Read More

Meet our team of distinguished researchers and staff driving MONET's mission. THE MONET TEAM Our team comprises leading senior investigators from across the country, globe, and traditional subfields of chemistry, working together to transform our molecular understanding of polymer networks. We are united by a commitment to high impact through collaboration, broadening the impact of our research through integrated outreach to industry and the public, and inclusive and supportive recruitment, advising, and mentoring. SENIOR INVESTIGATORS TRAINEES EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD Senior Investigators Stephen Craig Principal Investigator Duke University Steve Craig is an expert in using single molecule force spectroscopy of synthetic polymers to characterize the full extensional behavior of individual polymer strands. Learn More Principal Investigator Luis Campos Senior Investigator Columbia University Luis Campos explores molecular, macromolecular, and nanostructured materials to develop advanced functional systems. Learn More Senior Investigator Jeremiah A. Johnson Senior Investigator Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jeremiah Johnson has created iterative exponential growth (IEG) chemistry that can be implemented in either flow or batch mode to provide access to perfectly monodisperse polymer strands of precise sequence for Center research projects. Learn More Senior Investigator Julia Kalow Senior Investigator Northwestern University Julia Kalow is developing synthetic strategies for translating molecular structure and reactivity into macroscopic properties, including photochemically gated junctions that allow spatiotemporal control of junction dynamics throughout a network. Learn More Senior Investigator Rebekka Klausen Senior Investigator Johns Hopkins University Rebekka Klausen designs and synthesizes novel molecular building blocks to construct exciting nanoscale materials. Learn More Senior Investigator Heather Kulik Senior Investigator Massachusetts Institute of Technology Heather Kulik leverages computational modeling to aid the discovery of new materials and mechanisms. Learn More Senior Investigator Juana Mendenhall Senior Investigator Morehouse College Dr. Mendenhall is currently the Walter E. Massey Professor of Physical Sciences at Morehouse College, President and Founder of TheraViscTM, LLC, and the TEDx licensee for TEDx Morehouse College. Her ground-breaking medical technology shows real potential in healing osteoarthritis. Learn More Senior Investigator Jeffrey S. Moore Senior Investigator University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Jeffrey Moore synthesizes and studies large organic molecules to discover new polymeric materials. Learn More Senior Investigator Alshakim Nelson Senior Investigator University of Washington Alshakim Nelson develops stimuli-responsive materials and bio-hybrid materials that are designed for additive manufacturing processes. Learn More Senior Investigator Bradley D. Olsen Senior Investigator Massachusetts Institute of Technology Brad Olsen has developed and applied multiple state-of-the-art techniques for characterizing the properties of polymer networks in general and dynamic networks in particular. Learn More Senior Investigator Monica Olvera de la Cruz Senior Investigator Northwestern University Monica Olvera de la Cruz develops models to describe the self-assembly of heterogeneous molecules and the segregation and interface adsorption in multicomponent complex fluids. Learn More Senior Investigator Michael Rubinstein Senior Investigator Duke University Michael Rubinstein has developed theories of dynamic and covalent networks, including models of both thermodynamics and dynamics of unentangled and entangled reversible networks and gels. Learn More Senior Investigator Nancy Sottos Senior Investigator University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Nancy Sottos studies the mechanical behavior of various complex, heterogeneous materials through meso, micro, and nanoscale characterizing deformation and failure mechanisms. Learn More Senior Investigator Nicole Steinmetz Senior Investigator University of California, San Diego Nicole Steinmetz is helping MONET push polymer networks across new frontiers through the design, development and testing of materials and biologics derived from conjugated virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from plants. Learn More Senior Investigator External Advisory Board We are fortunate to have an expert and dedicated advisory board that pushes us to be distinct and distinctive in every one of our science and broader impact activities. Cameron Brown Eastman Chemical Co. Thomas Epps III University of Delaware Jeannette Garcia IBM Brett Helms Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Malika Jeffries-El Boston University Eugenia Kumacheva University of Toronto Janice McDonnell Rutgers University Emily Pentzer Texas A&M University Trainees Abe Herzog-Arbeitman Graduate Student Alayna Johnson Alumni Alexis Martell Monterroza Graduate Student Allison Rattay Undergraduate Researcher Ana Paula Kitos Vasconcelos Graduate Student Anna Gray Davis Graduate Student Annika (Alex) Foret Alumni Anthony Mack Graduate Student Brian Richard Carrick Graduate Student Brogan Dietsche Undergraduate Researcher Calvin Shih Graduate Student Chinyere (Connie) Okeke Undergraduate Researcher Christina Hemmingsen Graduate Student Chuting Deng Postdoctoral Researcher Claire Ogilvie Graduate Student Clara Troyano-Valls Alumni Cody Ng Alumni Curt Waltmann Alumni Danyang Chen Alumni Devosmita Sen Graduate Student Edgar Mejia Alumni Elvis McFee Graduate Student Emily Wearing Alumni Emmanuel Alejandro Garcia Villatoro Graduate Student Fangbai Xie Postdoctoral Researcher

⬅️ All Members Anna Gray Davis Graduate Student Publications Impacts MONET Sparks Scientific Curiosity at Cambridge Science Festival Carnival Previous Next

A team from the Gong and Rubinstein labs report demonstrate how weak bonds can be leveraged to achieve self-strengthening in polymer network materials. These weak sacrificial bonds trigger mechanochemical reactions, forming new networks rapidly enough to reinforce the material during deformation and significantly improve crack resistance. Article Link

A team from the Klausen , Nelson , Kulik , and Craig labs report a novel chemical design for accelerated mechanochemical bond scission based on replacing a single carbon atom in a crosslinker with a silicon atom. They show seamless incorporation of these scissile carbosilanes to toughen 3D-printed networks, which demonstrates their suitability for additive manufacturing processes. Article Link

A team from the Craig , Olsen , and Rubinstein labs, in collaboration with others at MIT, systematically study the fracture mechanics of polymer-like networks with hybrid bond strengths to reveal that varying the ratio of strong and weak strands within otherwise identical networks gives a non-monotonic relationship between intrinsic fracture energy and strong strand fraction.   The interplay between concentration and clustering of strand types in networks with hybrid bond strengths, combined with crack growth phenomena and nonlocal energy release, provides insights into unusual fracture characteristics in polymer networks and percolated lattices. Article Link