• manufacturing techniques for polymer composites,
• new smart materials (including the development of self-healing structural composites),
• polymer matrix composites and nanocomposites for extreme environments,
• bio-based polymers and composites,
• evaluation of these materials using experimental and computational solid mechanics techniques and thermal analysis.

Recent research in the group has focused on processing and characterizing thermosets created through ring-opening metathesis polymerizations (ROMP), such as poly-dicyclopentatdiene, and the cyclotrimerization of cyanate ester resins.

The group averages 8-10 graduate students, visiting scholars, and undergraduates at any one time. If you are interested in learning more about the research group and the work we're doing, please take a look around and feel free to contact Prof. Kessler or other members of the team with questions or comments.