NSF Graduate Research Fellow currently investigating bioinspired wrinkling phenomena, and mechanical properties of polymer films grown by chemical vapor deposition, seeking R&D position that fosters innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship. I am passionate about interdisciplinary science and its societal impact.
Highlights
Experience starting projects in new research group
Expertise in thin film mechanics, surface chemistry, and vapor-phase deposition techniques
Made discoveries in polymer process-structure-property relationships, particularly related to self-wrinkling films
Interdisciplinary background and desire to work with people of many academic and personal backgrounds
EDUCATION
University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 2017-present
M.S. Polymer Science and Engineering, 2018, Expected Ph.D.: Fall, 2022
Ripon College, Ripon, WI 2013-2017
A.B. Chemistry, 2017, Phi Beta Kappa, GPA: 3.9
Minors: Physics, Math, and Spanish
Senior Thesis: Probing the Conductivity Peak in Organic Semiconductors
Semester Abroad Sevilla, Spain, The Center for Cross-Cultural Study Fall, 2015
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
Thesis: Self-Wrinkling Vapor-Deposited Polymer Films (2017-2022)
Examined self-wrinkling phenomena for multiple polymer coatings deposited by initiated chemical vapor deposition
Elucidated the effects of processing conditions on stress generation and self-wrinkling behavior
Uncovered origins of self-wrinkling and power-law relationships between wrinkle size and substrate stiffness
Devised design rules for controlling wrinkle shape in self-wrinkling films grown on curved liquid substrates: designed photomasks, fabricated epoxy basins to fill with oil and control meniscus shape, and characterized surface topography
Developed a Matlab image analysis program to quantify wrinkle shapes from micrographs
Experimentally confirmed prior simulations of wrinkling behavior on torii
Measured mechanical properties of thin films using surface wrinkling metrology
Characterized the crystallinity of fluoropolymer films by wide-angle x-ray scattering and x-ray diffraction
Discovered a self-wrinkled hierarchical double-labyrinth wrinkle pattern and characterized feature growth
Developed procedures for micromotor particle fabrication and tracking
Out-of-subfield proposal: Smart Design of Biopolyesters Based on Furandicarboxylic Acid
Relevant Coursework: Polymer Physics/Engineering/Chemistry/Morphology/Characterization; Thin Films and Interfaces, Chemical Instrumentation, Advanced Mechanics, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Computational Chemistry
Undergraduate Research (Organic Chemistry): Ripon College Department of Chemistry (2014-2017)
Completed scope and mechanistic studies of the reaction of Aldehydes with N-acylphthalimides to form N,O-acetals
NSF REU: University of Minnesota Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (2015)
Probing the Conductivity Peak of Organic Electrolyte Gated Transistors (senior thesis topic)
NSF REU: University of Colorado at Boulder Soft Materials Research Center (2016)
Microplotted Semiconductor Channels for Organic Thin Film Transistors
Undergraduate Research (Political Science): Ripon College Department of Politics and Government (2013-2014)
Impact of Campaign Contributions and Lobbying on Major Legislation
TECHNICAL SKILLS: Lab Techniques, Characterization, and Software († = Managed maintenance and training)
Surface and Interfacial Properties: Optical Microscopy(†), Optical Profilometry, Optical Tensiometry: sessile and tensile drop experiments and surface energy measurements(†), Stylus Profilometery, Ellipsometry, AFM.
Thermomechanical: DSC, Tensile testing (Instron), Compression testing
Spectroscopy and Chemical Analysis: FTIR, UV-Vis, NMR, GPC, Mass Spectrometry
Vapor-phase Deposition: Initiated chemical vapor deposition(†), Crystal growth by physical vapor deposition
X-ray: XRD, WAXS, SAXS, GIXS
Software: Matlab (for image analysis), Gwyddion, OriginPro, ZenPro, ChemDraw, AutoCad, ImageJ
Synthesis and Fabrication Techniques: Photolithography, Particle synthesis by heterogeneous polymerization, 3D design and printing, Multi-step organic synthesis and purification
AWARDS
ACS PMSE Best Poster Award (2022)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2018)
Graduate Assistantship in Areas of National Need, UMass Amherst (2017)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention (2017)
Ripon College Senior Showcase Winner (general audience thesis presentation competition) (2017)
Ripon College Chemistry Department Senior Award (Local ACS award) (2017)
ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Undergraduate Award (2017)
Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention (2016)
Ripon College Knop Science Scholarship (four-year full tuition, one award per year) (2013)
Stevens Point Area Senior High Valedictorian (2013)
PUBLICATIONS AND PATENTS
1. Enright, R.N., Bradley, L.C. “Self-wrinkling Vapor-deposited Polymer Films with Tunable Patterns.” Advanced Functional Materials, In Press.
2. Enright, R.N., Bradley, L.C. “Dual-Scale Labyrinth Wrinkles from the Same Stress Source.” In preparation.
3. Enright, R.N., Bradley, L.C. “Tunable Compressive Stress Generation in Vapor-deposited Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate).” In preparation.
4. Willoughby, P. H., Enright, R.N., Henningsen, L.T., Wurtz, L.I., Cliff, E.R., Grinde, J.L. “Methods and Intermediates Useful for the Preparation of alpha-Branched Aryl Phthalimides and alpha-Branched Aryl Amines.” U.S. Patent 9701633 B2.
5. Enright, R. N., Grinde, J.L., Wurtz, L.I., Paeth, M.S., Wittman, T.R., Cliff, E.R., Sankari, Y.T., Henningsen, L.T., Tan, C., Scanlon, J.D., Willoughby, P.H. Synthesis of N,O-acetals by net amide C-N bond insertion of aldehydes into N-acyl phthalimides and N-acyl azoles. Tetrahedron, 2016, 72, 6397.
CONFERENCE AND SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATIONS OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH
American Physical Society March Meeting (2021)
American Chemical Society National Meeting (three presentations) (2016, 2017, 2022)
Symposia at UMass Amherst: Center for Industrial Research on Polymers (five presentations), Center for Evolutionary Materials, Polymer Science and Engineering APS alternative symposium (2019-2021)
Midwest Undergraduate Computational Chemistry Consortium Winter Conference (2017)
Ripon College Department of Chemistry (three presentations) (2016-2017)
LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK
Vice President, UMass Amherst Polymer Science and Engineering Club
Graduate research group roles: purchasing manager, instrument and equipment management and training
Vice President and liaison to campus environmental leadership roundtable, Ripon College Environmental Group
Secretary, Treasurer, Ripon College Society of Physics Students
President, Ripon College chemistry honor society and ACS student chapter
Student Senator and Representative to Faculty Senate, Ripon College
Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Collegiate Rocket Launch, state championship-winning team
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION
UMass Amherst Office of Professional Development NSF Graduate Research Fellowship application mentor
Mentored undergraduate student on the technical background to build a diffusive particle video tracking Matlab code
Designed outreach activities to teach 8th grade students about emulsions in food science
Numerous Science and Engineering Outreach events in Amherst. MA and Ripon, WI
Peer Tutor: Quantitative Chemical Analysis (five students), Organic Chemistry II (four students), and Computational Chemistry (one student)
COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL ISSUES AND DIVERSITY
Ripon College Cultural Diversity Club
Ripon College Environmental Group
Volunteer English teacher: Colegio Esclavas, Seville, Spain (students age 3-4)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND HONOR SOCIETIES: American Chemical Society, UMass ACS POLY/PMSE student chapter, Eka Francian (Ripon College chemistry honor society, President 2016-17), Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics), Pi Mu Epsilon (Mathematics), Phi Sigma, Iota (Foreign Language), The Laurel Society (Service)
LANGUAGES: English (native/fluent), Spanish (proficient)
REFERENCES: Available upon request