Graduate Student since Fall 2021
Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering , Minor General Business – Iowa State University
Thesis Topic: Renewable Monomer Synthesis for a Sustainable Circular Economy
Research Description: Chas’s research focuses on exploiting abundantly available renewable feedstocks to reduce the current carbon gap between consumer demand and strained fossil fuel supply. He achieves this through the catalytic synthesis of polymer precursors generated from biomass, minimizing the carbon footprint relative to their petroleum-derived analogs. Chas’s initial work focused on intensifying a two-step synthesis for biomass-derived 4,4′-Dimethylbiphenyl. He is extending his catalytic systems to generate novel bio-based molecules for polymeric applications.
Contact: cfields@udel.edu
Other fun facts or hobbies: Outside of research, Chas enjoys cooking and trying new foods. He also enjoys spending a lot of time outside, whether running, hiking, or simply reading a book. Music is also one of his passions, his favorite new artist currently is Reneé Rapp.