Welcome

Welcome! After 40 years, I finally “graduated” from professor to “affiliate.” While I no longer advise graduate students directly, I still participate in collaborative efforts.  These are devoted to discovery-based and curiosity-driven science and engineering of polymers and colloids. 

Interest areas

  • Development of new analytical equipment for polymer and particle characterization
  • Microzeppelins: lightweight and strong gas-containing and gas-capturing materials for energy storage and carbon capture
  • Polymer Recycling and Upcycling: Microparticle and Nanoparticle Characterization for Cleaner Water
  • Applications of sonic energy to reshape materials: upcycling 
  • Gels and hydrogels for scaffolding and delivery of target materials
  • Bioparticles for emulation of living systems, drug delivery and synthetic muscle
  • Future of Work in the Laboratory: Connections to machine learning and public policy

Methods: Light scattering and microscopy in particular. We also use X-ray and neutron scattering, rheology, gel permeation chromatography with various online detectors, and other techniques.

Learning: This lab was the original home to the Georgia Tech’s Open Polymer Active Learning Lab (OPALL). The equipment in OPALL is now co-located with MSE’s amazing Materials Innovation and Learning Lab (MILL) which provides students with hands-on experience in a low-pressure setting. OPALL’s main function is training and certification of on-campus and off-campus students of polymer methodology. OPALL also “gates” access to some of the polymer-based gear.

For Undergraduates: Welcome…let me know how I can help. Join the Polymer Undergraduate Network for Students (PUNS). See Professor Blair Brettmann about this. Go to polymer seminars: they are not limited to graduate students and beyond. They are for you!

For New Ph.D. or MS Students: Please choose a primary advisor from our collaborators in MSE, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering. Contact Prof. Russo about these opportunities. 

For Visiting Scholars and Postdocs: Welcome! Write Prof. Russo about your plans. 

Paul Russo

paul.russo at mse.gatech.edu 
225-588-8104 (mobile phone: please text first if you are not on my contact list already)
School of Materials Science & Engineering / Georgia Institute of Technology
801 Ferst Drive / MRDC 3508 / Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0295 U.S.A.