Crawford Elected Member-at-Large to Division of American Chemical Society

Associate Professor Kaitlyn Crawford has been elected a member-at-large by the American Chemical Society’s division of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering (ACS-PMSE). Members of ACS-PMSE select new members-at-large from a pool of candidates who volunteer to assist with the organization’s activities

“My interest in becoming a PMSE volunteer stems from my strong drive to give back to the community,” says Crawford in her statement letter. “ACS divisions, like PMSE, have been instrumental in molding my career path as early as my undergraduate days through receiving research awards and attending conferences.”

ACS-PMSE aims to foster discussion and interest in the area of polymer science and engineering. The membership includes a diverse group of academics and industry professionals. Members can participate in technical programs and meetings, networking opportunities and outreach workshops for young students who may be interested in the field.

As a member-at-large, Crawford says she intends to contribute through wellness training, to help the next generation of scientists maintain productivity in work and balance in life.

“It would be an honor to give back to the national and international polymer community by volunteering on PMSE’s executive committee,” Crawford says. “I would leverage my current expertise and learn effective ways to engage in meaningful contributions to the polymer materials community at large.”

Crawford’s research focuses on sustainable materials for flexible electronic sensors. Her research interests include functional hydrogels, energy harvesting, wearable health monitoring and nanoplastics. Since the start of her career, she has received $1.5 million in funding, shared her research through multiple invited talks and has received numerous awards including the PMSE Early Investigator Award.

Crawford earned her doctoral degree in chemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2015. At UCF, she is a member of the Biionix faculty research cluster and has joint appointments with the NanoScience Technology Center, the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.