Thomas Webber (he/him)
Ph.D. Candidate, 6th year / Chemical Engineering
B.S. Chemical Engineering, BYU (2018)
Research Summary:
The focus of my PhD is to develop fundamental understanding of the behavior of water at the surface of polymer membranes. I use advanced magnetic resonance techniques such as Dynamic Nuclear Polarization to investigate the effect of molecular-scale structure and chemical topology on water dynamics and solute adsorption. This knowledge can then inform the inverse design of energy-efficient membranes for water purification.
Bio:
I grew up in Tigard, Oregon and Mission Viejo, California. For my undergrad, I attended Brigham Young University in Provo, UT where I studied chemical engineering. At BYU I participated in several research groups studying process control optimization of petroleum drilling, pure compound physical property databases, and simulations of 2D origami-inspired polymers. I also enjoy running along the beach, video and board games, and cooking new recipes.