At the UGA New Materials Institute, we believe that a material’s useful end-of-life should be considered at the design stage and that Green Engineering principles should be part of this process.
Student Profile: Shariful Islam Tushar
Shariful Islam Tushar is a PhD student studying development of sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, textiles and materials. Tushar’s work includes designing and engineering bio-based soft materials, including films, aerogels, foams, hydrogels, and functional textiles.
To increase miscibility between the polymer and API and reduce waste early in the development process, a research team at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute utilized experimentally derived Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) to predict compatibility between 10 commercially relevant polymers and three active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Mark A. Eiteman, a professor of biochemical engineering in the College of Engineering and a member of the New Materials Institute faculty, is one of seven members of the University of Georgia faculty and administration to be awarded a 2026-2027 Fulbright Scholarship. The award is Eiteman’s second Fulbright award.
Researchers from the Circularity Informatics Lab at the University of Georgia recently examined five-years (2019-2023) of published peer-reviewed manuscripts on the circular economy to identify knowledge gaps related to the circularity of single-use plastic packaging.
Student Profile: Artem Sulimov
Artem Sulimov became interested in materials science as a teenager, once he realized it combined chemistry, physics, and engineering—his favorite subjects. Now Sulimov is pursuing a PhD in chemistry under the mentorship of Jason Locklin, PhD, the co-founder and director of the UGA New Materials Institute. As a member of the Locklin Group, Sulimov has learned to grow research concepts from laboratory experiments to scaled-up, real-world applications that can help manufacturers achieve sustainability goals.
A $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will help scientists at the UGA New Materials Institute, and the UGA Complex Carbohydrate Research Center understand biochemical processes in sorghum, a platform energy crop, and “open the doors” to engineering possibilities for new materials. The research team will develop a high-throughput platform to biochemically characterize glycosyltransferases (GTs) encoded in the sorghum genome involved in synthesis of the complex polysaccharides that comprise plant biomass.
Large-scale manufacturing of petroleum-based plastics began in the 1950s. Fast-forward almost 70 years, and scientists are in the early stages of understanding how plastic particles on the micro- and nano-sized scales are impacting humans, animals, and our planet. Click here to watch a video on “plasticosis.”
In addition to laboratories focused on circularity, did you know the University of Georgia campus is home to a roof top garden that serves as research space for research into urban heat islands? Or that within a few miles from campus there exists a community garden founded and maintained—since 2010—by student workers, interns and volunteers who grow food to feed food-insecure residents?
The University of Georgia New Materials Institute’s (UGA NMI) Circularity Informatics Lab (CIL) has joined the Urban Ocean program as a core partner and program co-lead. Led by Professor Jenna Jambeck, CIL joins founding co-leads The Circulate Initiative and Resilient Cities Network to help steer Urban Ocean’s strategy, implementation, and growth. Launched in 2020 by Ocean Conservancy, The Circulate Initiative, and Resilient Cities Network, Urban Ocean helps cities prevent plastic pollution and strengthen circular systems.
Three members of the University of Georgia New Materials Institute faculty received honors at the 2026 UGA Research Awards, held annually during Honors Week.
