Marek W. Urban

Biography

Marek W. Urban is the Sirrine Foundation Endowed Chair and Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Prior to joining Clemson University, Marek directed the Industry/University Cooperative Research (I/U CRC) and Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) funded by the National Science Foundation as well as served as department chair at North Dakota State University and University of Southern Mississippi. He published over 300 research papers, is the author of three books, several patents, and editor of seven American Chemical Society, Oxford Academic Press, and Wiley books. He is the recipient of numerous awards and his research on self-healing and antimicrobial polymers have been featured by numerous media, including NY Times, BBC, NBC, USA Today, Yahoo, NSF, and many others. Current efforts of the Urban Research Group focus on design, synthesis, and understanding of molecular processes that govern formation and behavior of multi-scale length heterogeneous self-healing and stimuli-responsive polymer networks, synthesis of colloidal nanomaterials, spectroscopy and imaging of polymers, and polymer surface modifications that lead antimicrobial, antifouling and anticoagulant properties.

Research Interest

"Polymer design Colloidal synthesis Self-healing polymers Surface and interfacial reactions Stimuli-responsive materials Biopolymers Vibrational spectroscopy and molecular imaging"