Dr. Ana Morais Receives 2026 NSF CAREER Award.

Congratulations to Dr. Morais for receiving the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award (Award Details - NSF Award Search)! The CAREER Award recognizes early-career faculty who demonstrate exceptional potential as both scholars and educators.

This five-year grant will support Dr. Morais’ research program to understand how subcritical and supercritical CO₂–containing media influence the catalytic conversion of structurally diverse polypropylene (PP) substrates. The 5-year project will systematically investigate how CO₂ alters the thermophysical properties of PP and how these changes affect reaction kinetics, reaction pathways, product selectivity, and coke formation and deposition within catalyst pores. This project will aid in advancing more efficient technologies for minimizing plastic waste, supporting a significant research focus at FEWLS.

In addition to the research component, the project includes hands-on educational activities for middle school students across Kansas. These lessons aim to raise awareness of plastic pollution while inspiring Kansas middle school students to explore science and engineering.

Thank you NSF for the continued support!

FEWLS TEAM

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