Progress in bioplastics: PLA and PHA Samantha P Bunkea, Dr. Susan Fullertona, Dr. Eric Beckmana DAMP Nanoionics and Electronics Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Samantha Bunke is a Chemical Engineering graduate from the University of Pittsburgh. During her time at Pitt, she conducted research in the Nanoionics and Eletronics Lab under Dr. Susan Fullerton for the past year, and she has also completed a co-op program with EQT Corporation. She will be working for Lubrizol as their Physical Properties Intern until she attends graduate school next fall at Stanford University.
Samantha Bunke
Susan Fullerton is an Assistant Professor and Bicentennial Board of Visitors Faculty Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Penn State in 2009. Prior to joining Pitt, she was a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame from 2009 - 2015. Fullerton’s work has been recognized by an NSF CAREER award, a Marion Milligan Mason award for women in the chemical sciences from AAAS, a Ralph E. Powe Jr. Faculty Award from ORAU, and the 2018 James Pommersheim Award for Excellence in Teaching in Chemical Engineering at Pitt. Susan Fullerton
Eric Beckman
Eric Beckman received his Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1988. After postdoctoral research at Battelle’s Pacific Northwest Laboratory in 1987-88, Dr. Beckman assumed his faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh (1989). Dr. Beckman was promoted to associate professor in 1994, and full professor in 1997. Dr. Beckman received a Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation in 1992, and the Presidential Green Chemistry Award in 2002. Dr. Beckman’s research group examines the use of molecular design to solve problems in green engineering and in the design of materials for use in tissue engineering. In 2003, with support from the Heinz Endowments, the Bevier estate, and John Mascaro, Dr. Beckman created the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, a school of engineering institute that examines the design of more sustainable products and infrastructure. Dr. Beckman’s group has published over 200 papers and he has received over 40 patents.
Significance Statement
The findings in this article provide background on the plastic accumulation dilemma and insight on the current state of bioplastics. Bioplastics, such as PLA and PHA, have been proposed as a solution to this problem, and this paper assesses their pros and cons.
Category: Review paper
Keywords: Bioplastics, biodegradation, PLA, PHA
16 Undergraduate Research at the Swanson School of Engineering
