Biosketch
In the years I have spent in the Plastics Engineering Department at UMass Lowell (UML), I have grown tremendously as an engineer, researcher, and person thanks to the community of the program. My research experience at UML began with multilayer films for food packaging applications, specifically Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) rations. For three years my group and I have worked with commercially available foil and non-foil multilayer films to evaluate their suitability for highly acidic foods requiring extended shelf lives. We simulated extended storage studies of film- and pouch-level products to determine the degradation and failure mechanisms of flexible packaging materials as well as the designs attributed with successful products. I enjoyed the work, so much so that I decided to continue my education, at UMASS Lowell, in the same Plastics Engineering Department, into grad school. My master's thesis focused on biodegradable films composed of a poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) blend with a soy waste filler for agricultural mulch film applications. More recently I have also been researching sustainable alternatives for retort and non-retort food packaging, though this project is still in its early stages.
In addition to my work with sustainable materials, the second half of my research focuses on microplastics to better understand how they interact with the environment. Using simulated immersion studies, we are investigating polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) films in lake, ocean, and estuary waters to discern how aquatic environments impact polymer degradation abiotically and biotically. The research works to correlate intrinsic environmental properties to biofilm formation and eventual plastic degradation. This project has forced me to consider the broader impacts of the materials as well as the importance of interdisciplinary work to initiate change. As the project and broader research area develop, I intend to leverage my background in plastic materials to complement the work of microbiologists and environmentalists.