Edmund Stark, faculty member at MSU St. Andrews, is involved in chemical/polymer research and STEM outreach. His most recent projects involve characterization and polymerization of bio-based monomers as replacements for fossil-based materials and hyperbranched polymer systems offering timed release of miticides to protect honey bees. He is also responsible for polymeric gene transfection agents.
As a preceptor for St. Andrews’ summer research program, he has led projects ranging across the fields of chemical kinetics (moisture-driven formic acid release rates, acid-catalyzed polymer hydrolysis rates), apiology (miticide trials in bee hives, caged bee survivability studies), palynology (pollen characterization by microscopy), botany (factors affecting duckweed growth rates), and astronomy (searching satellite data for brown dwarf candidates). He also leads MSU’s popular Astronomy Nights, having created over fifty virtual programs with topics across astronomy.
Prior to joining Michigan State University, he was responsible for research and development of novel functionalized polycaprolactone ionomers at the Michigan Molecular Institute and has researched and produced kg-scale quantities of unique end-capped hyperbranched polycarbosiloxane polymers. While at MMI, he also worked on polycarbosiloxane, polycarbosilane, and POSS-based polymerizations and formulations directed toward space solar cell adhesives and coatings. He was also responsible for polybenzimidazole polymerizations and the synthesis and characterization of POSS-based polymerization additives focused on improving membrane conductivity in fuel cells.
He has 18 years of prior experience in monomer and polymer synthesis, characterization, and formulation for thin film polymer coatings in the electronics industry at the Dow Chemical Company. His past roles include plant support for a multi-step monomer synthesis and polymerization plant, development of toughened and aqueous-developable versions of existing polymers, and process development and scale-up of light-emitting polymers and their monomers. He has also synthesized and researched polycarbonate-polybutadiene copolymer systems, imide-epoxy resins, and styrene-acrylonitrile trimers. He has numerous publications and patents in these areas.
Dr. Stark has earned a doctorate in physical-organic chemistry at Yale University, and an Honors BS in chemistry (dual minor in physics and mathematics), magna cum laude, at Marquette University. He has been an adjunct professor of chemistry at several universities, teaching introductory chemistry and organic chemistry lab.