10/27/2026
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a Ph.D. dissertation defense by Dylan Shuster titled “From Recognition to Sustainable Materials Design: Investigating PFAS Interactions and Engineering Polymeric Adsorbents.”

Defense Details

  • Candidate: Dylan Shuster
  • Degree: Doctoral
  • Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
  • Time: Noon
  • Location: Olney, Room 518
  • Dissertation Title: From Recognition to Sustainable Materials Design: Investigating PFAS Interactions and Engineering Polymeric Adsorbents

Committee

  • Advisor: James Reuther, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, UMass Lowell
  • Marina Ruths, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, UMass Lowell
  • Michael Ross, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, UMass Lowell
  • Kwok-Fan Chow, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, UMass Lowell

Abstract

Developing materials for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) remediation requires understanding both contaminant interactions and the material environments that support adsorption. This dissertation investigates PFAS molecular recognition and the development of chemically and architecturally tunable polymeric adsorbents. Spectroscopic studies using methyl violet, supported by computational analysis, examine how PFAS structure and solution conditions influence molecular association and optical response. Complementary materials studies employ photoinduced atom transfer radical polymerization and polymerization-induced self-assembly to prepare block copolymer nanoparticles and crosslinked nanogels. Variations in core chemistry, polymer architecture, quaternization, and counterion treatment provide differentiated environments for investigating PFAS adsorption. Together, these studies examine molecular interactions alongside the structural, interfacial, and environmental factors governing material performance. Green chemistry principles frame the evaluation of synthetic choices, material persistence, and post-use management. The work advances a recognition-informed framework for responsible PFAS materials development, connecting molecular understanding with experimental materials design and the evaluation of sustainability tradeoffs.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.