About the Center
HISTORY
In 1946 Professor George Butler joined the Department of Chemistry
after four years with the Rohm & Haas Company. His research group in
polymer chemistry was among the first in academics, and as interest
in polymers grew, Professor Butler formed the Center for
Macromolecular Science & Engineering in 1970 to coordinate polymer
research campus wide. The polymer program at Florida is among the
oldest in the United States.
Today the Center is comprised of 19 faculty along with over 120 students
and staff operating in four departments on campus. A number of our faculty acquired extensive industrial
experience prior to joining the University of Florida.
THE CENTER'S WORK
The Center promotes collaboration among faculty in polymer science
and engineering on campus and serves as a conduit between industry,
government and our university. We stress a fundamental approach in
our research while seeking solutions to practical problems. We
pursue excellence in all our endeavors. Our conduct is characterized
by ethics, integrity, and honesty.
Our work spans the breadth of the polymer field including synthesis
and mechanism, polymer spectroscopy, surface analysis, polymer
processing, electronic properties, and polymer rheology. Both
specialty and common polymers interest us. We are fully equipped to
conduct research in all of these areas.
Faculty in the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry,
Materials Science and Engineering, and Physics comprise the
membership of the organization. Each faculty member operates
independently of the Center, and students receive degrees directly
from their respective departments. The Center enjoys a reputation of
producing competent polymer scientists and engineers well founded in
the fundamentals of his or her particular discipline.
EXTERNAL INTERACTIONS
More than 45 companies - past and present - have been working
partners with us, as has been every major government funding agency,
for we have long recognized the interdependent nature of academia,
industry, and government. Students clearly benefit from such
contact, especially in the later phase of their academic career. We
believe these interactions foster professional and personal
development for all of us.
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