Polymer Scientist Professor Earns $60,000 Award for Sustainable Materials Research

Wed, 01/14/2026 - 01:48pm | By: David Tisdale

Dr. Zhe Qiang, an associate professor in the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi, has earned a $60,000 Scialog Fellowship award to develop more sustainable multilayer film materials.

Qiang is partnering with a research group led by Dr. Josh Worch, an assistant professor of chemistry at Virginia Tech, on the project "Layered by Design, Ordered by Process: Single Material Solution for Sustainable Multilayer Films." The research will address major recycling challenges in multilayer film materials by combining complementary expertise in polymer chemistry and polymer physics to create a new generation of inherently sustainable polymers.

"As Scialog is a highly competitive program that funds only high-risk, high-reward projects, we are very excited about this opportunity to pursue transformative advances," Qiang said. "Equally important, this award will strengthen partnerships between research groups at two institutions with strong track records in polymer research."

Qiang is one of 17 scientists from universities nationwide to receive funding in the second year of "Scialog: Sustainable Minerals, Metals and Materials" (SM3), a three-year initiative catalyzing innovative basic science to address how critical materials sustaining modern society are acquired, used and recycled. Support comes through the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Kavli Foundation.

Scialog, short for "science plus dialog," was created in 2010 by RCSA to spark innovative thinking by building a creative network of scientists in the U.S. and Canada that crosses disciplinary boundaries and stimulates intensive conversation around scientific themes of global importance.

"Critical minerals underpin modern society—from energy to agriculture, from electronics to AI—yet they can harm the environment, and many are vulnerable to supply chain instability," said RCSA President Eric Isaacs. "Finding alternative materials, rethinking extraction, minimizing waste and ensuring recyclability from the start of a material's life cycle to its end are not simple problems. They demand cross-disciplinary collaboration."

Qiang joined the Southern Miss faculty in 2019. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Akron and conducted postdoctoral training at Northwestern University. His research interests include materials and manufacturing innovations for the development of a carbon-neutral society. Qiang's research group develops commercially viable methods for converting plastic and plastic waste into functional materials and employs advanced characterization methods to understand polymer behaviors at nanoscale. His work has been recognized with multiple awards and honors.

Learn more about the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at Southern Miss.