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Tarek Ibrahim ’23 M.S., ’26 Ph.D. recently stood as one of six finalists for the Eastman Chemical Student Award in Applied Polymer Science, where he represented both the AV������ and its growing community of scientists driven to make a sustainable impact.

Conducted under the mentorship of Hao Sun, Ph.D., Ibrahim’s research focuses on developing new recyclable and degradable polymers that can help address plastic pollution, one of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“You don’t have to be a chemist to know that we’re running into serious plastic-accumulation issues,” said Ibrahim, a candidate in the University’s Ph.D. Program in Engineering and Applied Science. “We’re trying to create recyclable polymers that reduce waste and develop degradable polymers that can be used for applications such as drug-delivery systems.”

For Ibrahim, chemistry has always been a way to find solutions others might overlook. “I always looked at chemistry as the way to solve problems that people think can’t be solved,” he said. “When I look around, everything is chemistry. That’s what drew me to polymers—replacing petroleum-based plastics with materials that are recyclable or derived from biomass.”

This passion has fueled his work in the lab, where Ibrahim has taken a leading role in research and mentorship. “Until recently, I was the only Ph.D. student in the lab and the first Ph.D. student in the Tagliatela College of Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical & Biomedical Engineering department,” he said. “That meant taking the lead on projects and helping mentor undergraduate and graduate students as well.

In addition to his work on polymer research, Ibrahim was recently awarded the highly competitive NASA Space Grant Graduate Student Fellowship and represented the University at the annual NASA Connecticut EXPO. Tarek is working on a project focused on synthesizing self-healing polymers that will help drastically reduce NASA’s space mission costs. These opportunities, he says, have further broadened his perspective as a scientist and strengthened his drive to pursue meaningful, applied research.

“Chemistry is everywhere,” he reflected. “It’s how we can innovate and discover to make people’s lives easier.”

The Eastman Chemical Student Award, established in 1985, recognizes graduate students for research excellence in applied polymer science. Each year, finalists from across the country are invited to present their work at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting.

For Ibrahim, being named a finalist and presenting his work alongside peers from some of the most well-known colleges and universities in the country was a particularly rewarding experience. “Harvard didn’t get it, MIT didn’t get it—it was the AV������, Stanford, Cornell, Michigan, and Northwestern,” he said. “That was a huge moment for me.”

Despite the University’s smaller – but growing – research infrastructure, Ibrahim’s work stood shoulder-to-shoulder with that of top R1 institutions. “It might take me three or four times the effort to get the same results,” he explained. “For example, if I need to run NMR tests, I have to drive to Yale’s West Campus and back multiple times a day. But our research output still matches the quality of those top schools.”

When he arrived at the ACS conference in Washington, D.C., Ibrahim found himself among peers who shared his deep passion for chemistry. The experience was both validating and inspiring. “I was standing there among students from these top schools and presenting research at the same level,” he said. “That was an incredible experience.”

Throughout his Ph.D. journey, Ibrahim has been supported by Dr. Sun, whose mentorship he describes as transformative. “He’s the reason I’m pursuing a Ph.D.,” Ibrahim said. “I started working with him as a master’s student, and the relationship became more than just professor and student. He’s available 24/7. Sometimes I email him at two or three in the morning, and he replies right away.”

That close mentorship inspired Ibrahim to consider a future in academia. “I had some experience working in industry, but I’m more drawn to academia because of Dr. Sun,” he said. “He’s the reason for everything I’m achieving now, along with the unwavering support I receive from my family.”

Resource limitations in the lab pushed Ibrahim to think creatively. When specialized equipment wasn’t available, he designed his own. “For almost a year, we didn’t have instruments to run reactions at low, precise temperatures,” he recalled. “So, I went to Home Depot and Amazon, bought parts, and built a reactor myself. I called it Tut 2.0 after my cat.”

Looking ahead, Ibrahim plans to complete his Ph.D. within the next year and then pursue a postdoctoral position. “I want to keep pushing boundaries in polymer chemistry,” he said. “There’s still so much to discover.

“If you love chemistry, give it your time,” he continued. “Chemistry will give it back.”

Ibrahim often compares chemistry to a game of chess, where every move requires precision and insight. “Chemistry is like chess,” he said. “Each functional group is like a piece with a distinct move. Once you understand their behavior, you can strategically guide the course of any reaction.”

That philosophy shaped his recent research article, published in ACS Macromolecules, which formed the foundation for his award recognition. The project, he explained, allowed him to, “play with chemistry as though it were a puzzle, as something to understand, refine, and master.”

Reflecting on his journey—from building equipment by hand to presenting at a national conference—Ibrahim sees every challenge as part of a larger story. “It’s been tough,” he admitted, “but it made me creative, resilient, and more passionate about what I do.”

Standing among scholars from the country’s most prestigious universities, he was reminded of what drives him most. “I’m doing this because I want chemistry to help people,” he said. “That’s what motivates me every day.”

And, as he put it best, “Chemistry is like chess; you just have to learn how to play.”