My research program develops new classes of porous materials that combine the performance of solids with the inherent processability of liquids. Porous materials are widely investigated for gas storage, separations, and catalysis, but their rigid, powder-like form factors limit real-world deployment. Contrasting solids, liquids are easy to pump and process but lack permanent internal cavities for efficient molecular capture. My group bridges this fundamental gap by designing porous liquids and soluble porous polymers that retain nanoscale void space while flowing or dissolving. Inspired by biological systems that enable selective transport in fluid environments, we use chemical synthesis to control molecular structure and tune bulk properties such as viscosity and diffusivity. These materials enable sprayable adsorbents and castable membranes for energy-efficient separations and medical applications, while revealing fundamental relationships between porosity, transport, and fluidity.
Awards and Achievements
- Materials Today Rising Star Award ( 2026)
- Beckman Young Investigator
- Rom Rhome Endowment for Professional Development Award
- International Adsorption Society Award for Excellence in Publications
- CAS Future Leader ( 2022)
- Fannie and John Hertz Thesis Prize
- Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Peter Strauss Fellowship
- Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship
- Harvard Distinction in Teaching Award
- Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology Travel Prize
- ACS Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry ( 2016)
- Richard P. Schuster Memorial Prize
- George W. Green Memorial Prize
- Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRF)
- Patrick Hummel and Harry Gray Travel Grant
- Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Arie J. Haagen-Smit Memorial Award
- Copenhagen Scholars Study Abroad Scholarship
- American Chemical Society/Society for Chemical Industry Scholarship
- Renuka D. Sharma Award
- Class of 1952 Scholarship
- Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Intel Science Talent Search Finalist
- University of North Texas Dean's Honor Roll
- University of North Texas Dean's Research Award
- Texas Academy of Math and Science Summer Research Scholarship
- Jasper High School Friendliest Freshman
- Various Statewide Awards and Recognitions for Flute and Piccolo Performances