Short Biography
Brett P. Fors was born in Polson, Montana and carried out his undergraduate studies in chemistry at Montana State University (B.S., 2006). He went on to do his Ph.D. (2011) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Professor Stephen L. Buchwald. After his doctoral studies he became an Elings Fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara working with Professor Craig J. Hawker. In 2014 he joined the faculty at Cornell University and is currently a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
Abstract
Development and Applications of New Synthetic Strategies for Polymer Science
Synthetic polymers are significant importance in all aspects of modern life, and during the last few decades, these materials have facilitated major societal advances. Innovative polymeric materials have the potential to address humankind’s next grand scientific and technological challenges; however, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by these materials requires new methods for gaining precise control of polymer structure and function. To address this challenge, our research group focuses on the development of new synthetic methods and catalyst systems to control polymer architecture, composition, and function to yield next-generation materials. Specifically, this presentation will detail (1) the development of cationic polymerization reactions where polymer chain growth and sequence are regulated with external stimuli and (2) a modular strategy to dictate the shape and composition of polymer molecular weight distribution to precisely control properties.
