Very happy to share that after receiving an NSF grant ($600,000), I've now received a DOE Office of Science grant ($886,000) to push forward our ionomer research! 😊
This award fuels our mission to bring nature’s elegance into synthetic #energy materials for #sustainability. #polymersky

Received a 4-yr, $600K Award from #NSF: Improving Interfacial- & Confined State-Ionic Conductivity via Manipulating Interfacial Chemistry & New Design of Ionomers. This will support my research in #electrochemical #energy devices, & my mission to advance energy literacy in #Nebraska. #polymersky

Received the Best Overall Zone Paper Award at 2025 American Soc. for #Engineering #Education #ASEE Annual Meeting! Summarizing ~9 yrs of work in 5 min wasn’t easy, but hearing such kind words from the community, especially as someone outside traditional education research, was humbling! #polymersky

We are on @natchem.nature.com!
Lignin, the undercover superhero of plant kingdom and power house of modern innovation!

My itinerary at the American Society for Engineering Education (#2025ASEE) Annual Meeting. I'll give a talk & moderate a session on Mon, then receive the Best Overall Zone Paper Award on Tues Plenary for #NSFfunded energy literacy study in Nebraska. ‪‪@unlincoln.bsky.social‬ ‪@asee-hq.bsky.social‬

Very interesting short article ($)
This is the best bit - "Lignin-derived carbons are turbostratic. This disordered, groovy carbon offers more ion intercalation sites than ordered graphitic anodes in batteries"
🪄 Turbostratic, groovy carbons! No wonder we love lignin (and plants) so much. 💚

The week started with us winning the National Award for the Best Paper from ASEE! Now, we're on Nature Chemistry!
Linked in with Lignin! #lignin's historic journey & potential to drive #sustainability without compromising performance!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#polymersky @natchem.nature.com

Team Dishari won ASEE Best Overall Zone Paper Award for #Energy Literacy Infrastructure Study across #Nebraska & Data-Driven Design of K-12 #STEM Outreach! This National Award selects from top papers from 12 sections across 4 ASEE zones. The paper also won ASEE Midwest Best Paper Award! #polymersky

UNL Chem. & Biomol. Eng is rocking the 2025 Natl Science Olympiad hosted by UNL! We hv a live distillation column by my team, designs by our CHEMECar & ChemECube teams, & more! If you’re around, swing by our booth to learn abt one of the coolest branches of Eng! #polymersky @unlincoln.bsky.social‬

Thnks to Ratul Chowdhury for inviting me for the L. K. Doraiswamy Seminar at the Iowa State University ChBE & making my visit so memorable! Thoroughly enjoyed the engaging conversations & vibrant atmosphere. #polymersky #energy #sustainable @unlincoln.bsky.social @iastateresearch.bsky.social

Off to San Diego for ACS Meeting. Giving 2 invited talks (NSF & DOE-funded) on #sustainable, bio-derived & nature-inspired #polymers & #membranes for #energy & biomedical applications! @acspmse.bsky.social #polymersky @unlincoln.bsky.social @acspoly.bsky.social @acs.org

Neb. EPSCoR featured me for receiving 2024 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Midwest Outstanding Teaching Award, Best Paper Awards 2 years in a row (2023,2024),NSF-funded energy literacy infrastructure study, & energy education efforts creating ripple effect in Midwest! #polymersky

We r featured at ACS #Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
A #lignin-based high-temp #polymer electrolyte #membrane, seamlessly combining #sustainability with outstanding #proton conductivity & stability! GREEN #energy using GREEN #materials
@pubs.acs.org #polymersky

Our work at ACS #Sustainable Chem & Eng! We introduce a groundbreaking ion-pair high-temperature #polymer #electrolyte #membrane using #lignin, a sustainable #polymer, showing remarkable proton #conductivity & durability.
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
@pubs.acs.org @unlincoln.bsky.social #polymersky

Surprise Flowers from students! Thank you!
#thankful #mentor #lifeofamentor #Engineering #chemicalengineering

Stress buster!! Painting with my son and his posca markers!! Reminds me of my college days when I used to design my own dresses with similar motifs!!! #worklifebalance #academicmom #mofessor

Fresh from the oven! Our minireview: “ #Lignin -based #Membranes for #Health, Food Safety, #Environmental, and #Energy Applications: Current Trends & Future Directions” is now available online...part of a themed issue “ #Sustainable Membrane #Manufacturing.”
authors.elsevier.com/a/1kZsG7spEi...

Thank you, Nebraska Center for Energy Science Research (NCESR), for featuring me in the inaugural Director's Corner of the Energy Center Chronicles!
newsroom.unl.edu/announce/nce...

@unlincoln.bsky.social

Our feature article on the cover of Chem. Commun. of @roysocchem.bsky.social! This is a compilation of our yrs of contribution to the field of #ionomers at #interfaces. NSF #CAREER, CBET, DOE Career-funded. #polymer #sustainable #lignin #energy #fuelcell
pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

I’m here!