ACS Sustainable Futures Initiative Grant Program

ACS Sustainable Futures Initiative Grant Program is sponsored by American Chemical Society. This program aims to provide catalytic funding for early and mid-career faculty interested in developing a research and teaching portfolio that contributes directly to developing transformative chemistries that address Sustainable Development Goals.

## ACS Sustainable Futures Initiative Grant Program The ACS Campaign for a Sustainable Future aims to advance chemistry innovations to address the challenges articulated in the U. N. Sustainable Development Goals.

This multifaceted initiative will have lasting impact on how we conduct research, how we teach chemistry, and how we collaborate globally.

The initiative begins with a campaign to fully engage the chemistry community in designing solutions to the grand challenges of sustainability, reimagining how we teach and practice chemistry with a sustainability focus, and raising public awareness among about chemistry’s role in a sustainable future.

One of the key initiatives of the Campaign is a grant program, which aims to provide catalytic funding for early and mid-career faculty interested in developing a research and teaching portfolio that contributes directly to developing transformative chemistries that address Sustainable Development Goals.

## Grants for Faculty & Postdoc Research ### Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant For post-doctoral associates applying for faculty positions or faculty in the first 9 months of an appointment at Ph. D. -granting colleges and universities.

Two years of funding to launch an independent research group. ### Principal Investigator Development in Sustainability Grant For early or mid-career investigators from Ph. D.

-granting departments expecting to undertake a sabbatical the following year. ## ACS Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant Winners Congratulations to the ECP Grant winners!

University of South Florida **Andrew Tricker, University of South Florida** **Project Title:** Piezo-Mechanocatalytic PFAS Degradation via In-situ Reactive Oxygen Species Generation The extreme stability of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to widespread environmental accumulation, posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health.

Current treatment methods rely on physical separation, which concentrates the PFAS without destroying them. Disposal of the saturated adsorbents typically involves incineration, which is energy-intensive and can release volatile organofluoride compounds, or landfilling, which may allow PFAS to leach back into the environment.

Dr. Tricker’s lab will investigate a mechanochemical approach to directly degrade the PFAS on the sorbent material, with the goal of creating a more benign method for PFAS remediation.

University of Colorado Boulder **Cody Ritt, University of Colorado Boulder** **Project Title:** Next-Generation Ion Exchange Membranes to Achieve Rare-Earth Element Circularity The global demand for rare-earth elements (REEs), which underlie many renewables-driven technologies, is projected to double by 2030 and impose unprecedented pressure on Earth’s natural resources.

Significant advancements to ion-selective membrane separations are required to help meet future economic demands with circularity in mind. Dr. Ritt’s lab exploits nanofluidic phenomena to design smarter separations materials and membranes.

By leveraging the unique behavior of molecules confined to extremely small spaces, Dr. Ritt’s project will produce nanoporous ion exchange membranes from non-fluorinated polymers that can selectively recover REEs, such as lanthanum, from aqueous waste streams.

**Alexandra Elizabeth Paton** Assistant Professor of Chemistry **Alexandra Elizabeth Paton, University of Rochester** **Project Title:** Regenerative Dual Enzyme Biocatalytic System for the Construction of Enantiopure Small Molecules Under Ambient Conditions Biocatalytic synthesis is restricted to the established tools for enzyme production, utility, and substrate scope.

We are developing novel approaches to expand the existing toolkit to underutilized protein classes capable of selectively forming C-C bonds. Utilization of these enzymes relies on improved access to their necessary co-factors and building blocks. Towards this end, the Paton Lab is developing sustainable syntheses towards critical small molecules to unlock a new class of biocatalysts to synthesize complex natural products.

Through the development of this recycling system, Dr. Paton’s lab will investigate their applications towards more generalizable chemical synthesis and realize novel synthetic pathways to complex bioactive small molecules.

**Solomon Tolulope Oyakhire** Georgia Institute of Technology **Solomon Tolulope Oyakhire, Georgia Institute of Technology** **Project Title:** Electro-solvometallurgy for selective recovery of metals from electrical and electronic waste Every year, millions of metric tons of electronic waste are generated, with most critical component metals left unrecovered in landfills.

Conventional recovery methods such as hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, and chemical leaching are neither selective nor energy efficient. Electrochemistry, through coupled ion-electron transfer, provides a template for identifying guiding principles for selective, energy efficient metal recovery.

Yet electrochemical approaches have historically been limited to aqueous solvating media, where competing reactions hinder metal recovery and selectivity. The Oyakhire lab introduces a new platform for selectively electrodepositing metals from complex waste mixtures using aprotic solvating media, guided by principles of electrosolvometallurgy.

**Melissa Ramirez, University of Minnesota** **Project Title:**Harnessing α-Aminoketenes for Asymmetric Organocatalytic Carbonylation Carbonylation reactions represent a powerful class of transformations in organic synthesis, enabling the construction of C–C bonds and the carbon framework of diverse organic molecules.

While transition metal-catalyzed carbonylation reactions have been extensively developed and utilized in organic synthesis, asymmetric variants are comparatively less common in the literature. Dr. Ramirez’s research focuses on developing sustainable methods for asymmetric organocatalytic carbonylation via a combined experimental and computational approach to reaction development.

These studies will enable the establishment of sustainable methods for catalytic carbonylation and the application of α-aminoketenes as synthetically useful intermediates in asymmetric catalysis.

**Sanjana Gopalakrishnan** **Sanjana Gopalakrishnan, Tufts University** **Project Title:**Sustainable Hydrophobic Silk as a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) alternative for Healthcare Materials Synthetic materials like PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) are widely used for blood-contacting medical devices such as vascular grafts and catheters due to their anti-fouling, hydrophobic nature.

However, they are synthetic, non-degradable polymers made using fossil fuels. Gopalakrishnan aims to create sustainable, silk-based alternatives to these hydrophobic synthetic medical materials. Previously, Dr. Gopalakrishnan demonstrated that silk conjugated with perfluorocarbons exhibits similar hydrophobic and anti-fouling properties as PTFE.

Building on this foundation, fluorine-free hydrophobic silk will be developed by chemically grafting fatty acids onto silk fibroin and fabricate solvent-free, silk catheters which will be benchmarked against PTFE. This will lay the foundation for clinical translation.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign **Devashish Gokhale, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign** **Project Title:** Stimuli-Responsive and Bioinspired Materials for Sustainable and Selective Food Separations More than half the calories consumed in the U.S. come from processed foods, and food processing presents unique challenges for chemical separations.

Unlike commodity chemicals, foods do not tolerate large temperature or pH swings and are subject to strict cost and quality constraints. Many current industrial methods were not developed for food processing and offer limited selectivity, degrading nutrients and taste. Some rely on hazardous solvents; others perform poorly with ultrahigh-concentration streams or require excessive energy.

Dr. Gokhale’s research will develop novel materials and methods that advance selectivity, safety, and energy-efficiency at the intersection of chemical separations and food science. ## Principal Investigator Development in Sustainability (PISD) Grant Winners Congratulations to the PISD Grant winners!

Grant recipients benefit from a 6–12 month sabbatical at a hosting institution that they have intentionally selected as a means to acquire new knowledge that will advance their sustainability research. Read about their research projects and the innovative, cross-sector collaborations this opportunity will create over the coming months.

Indiana University Bloomington **_Xingchen Ye, Indiana University Bloomington_** **Project Title:** Operando Electron Microscopy of Nanocatalysts for Sustainable Chemical Transformations **Sabbatical Host:** Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, Germany During his sabbatical at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany, Dr. Ye will collaborate with electron microscopy experts to develop operando transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods.

By integrating liquid- and gas-phase TEM, four-dimensional scanning TEM, and ptychographic electron tomography, this project will enable atomic-scale visualization of crystal phase evolution, atomic segregation, and metal dissolution in nanocrystal catalysts under realistic electrocatalytic and thermocatalytic conditions.

Correlating catalyst structures before, during, and after reaction will uncover design principles that enhance catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability, accelerating advances in carbon utilization, clean energy technologies, and pollution mitigation.

**_Kenan Song, University of Georgia_** **Project Title:** Accelerating Bioplastic Biodegradation through Sustainable Polymer Additives and Advanced Manufacturing: A Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration with BASF **Sabbatical Host:**BASF, Germany Building on his expertise in additive manufacturing and sustainable polymers, Dr. Song will partner with BASF to design environmentally benign additives that control bioplastic biodegradation.

The research integrates nanoscale 3D printing and fiber spinning to tailor polymer microstructures, accelerating macromolecular breakdown while tuning mechanical performance. By leveraging BASF’s industrial-scale validation and additive libraries, this collaboration aims to deliver a mechanistic understanding of degradation pathways and scalable strategies for circular production.

These outcomes directly support UN Sustainable Development Goals by reducing persistent plastic waste in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Oklahoma State University **_Yu Mao, Oklahoma State University_** **Project Title:** Solvent-Free Biodegradable Coating Synthesis for Sustainable Packaging Applications **Sabbatical Host:** Michigan State University Dr. Mao’s research focuses on solvent-free polymer synthesis and surface modification. Her sabbatical research plan is to develop biodegradable, liquid-resistant coatings for sustainable paper packaging.

Using initiated chemical vapor deposition, she will synthesize polyester coatings directly from monomer vapors and investigate the processing–structure–property relationships of these vapor-deposited coatings. This work emphasizes environmentally benign fabrication methods to produce polymer-coated papers that are recyclable and biodegradable.

By integrating green chemistry principles from material selection and solvent-free processing to end-of-life considerations, the project aims to advance innovative, environmentally responsible packaging solutions with reduced environmental impact.

**_Keisuke Ikehata, Texas State University_** **Project Title:** Circular Nitrate Recovery via Ion Exchange, Electrochemical Separation-Concentration, and Crystallization, with Application in Vertical Farming **Sabbatical Host:** Kyoto University & Mälardalen University Nitrate contamination is a widespread problem in groundwater and potable reuse systems.

Current treatment methods often convert nitrate to nitrogen gas or produce waste streams that are costly to manage. Dr. Ikehata’s project develops a resource-recovery approach that treats nitrate as an input rather than a waste. The research combines nitrate-selective ion exchange, electrochemical separation, and crystallization to recover fertilizer products while recycling chemicals.

By closing material loops, the process reduces chemical use, energy demand, and waste generation. Dr. Ikehata’s sabbatical work will be conducted at Kyoto University and Mälardalen University and will advance green chemistry by linking water treatment to sustainable agriculture. Gabilan Assistant Professor of Chemistry University of Southern California **_Megan E.

Fieser, University of Southern California_** **Project Title:** Improving the End of Life of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Products **Sabbatical Host:** National Laboratory of the Rockies Dr. Megan Fieser leads an inorganic catalysis research group with applications in polymer sustainability.

During her time at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, she will explore the scalability of her group’s work on repurposing poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), a plastic that is rarely recycled, into new, valuable materials. She also aims to gain expertise in life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA), tools that will guide more informed, sustainable decisions in her research.

Additionally, she intends to build new ideas and collaborations with members of the DOE BOTTLE Consortium to further advance the scalable potential of her work.