Dr. Shu Wang has received The Henkel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Polymer Science and Engineering! The award is given to recognize a graduate student or recent graduate who has completed an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in polymeric research. Shu received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Duke in 2022, under the direction of Profs. Stephen L. Craig and Michael Rubinstein. During his time here at Duke, Shu developed a keen interest in rupturing large molecules with the goal of understanding how the scission of chemical bonds impacts the tear resistance of the polymeric materials they compose. His research effectively merged polymer theories with experimental practices, bridging the chemistry of polymer chains and junctions with the fracture mechanics of polymer networks. Shu is currently exploring polymer mechanics as a postdoctoral associate working with Prof. Xuanhe Zhao at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The 2024 Henkel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Polymer Science & Engineering will be presented during at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Denver, Colorado, August 21, 2024 in the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering.