Lauren W. Taylor

Lauren W. Taylor, PhD

I am a Princeton Center for Complex Materials Fellow at Princeton University, co-advised by Richard Register and Rodney Priestley. My current research explores how polymer sequence influences solution phase behavior and bulk thermal properties. In 2021, I earned my PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Rice University under Matteo Pasquali. As a National Defense Science and Engineering Fellow, my research focused on carbon nanotube characterization and processing-structure-property relationships of solution spun fibers for electronic clothing.

Broadly, my research interests focus on engineering hierarchical materials for structural composites and advanced textiles. Many inherent functionalities of natural materials arise from their hierarchical structures. Bamboo is made of aligned fibers in a matrix to provide structural integrity, nacreous mollusk shells have interlocked platelets to provide toughness, and wool possesses a fractal structure that provides thermal insulation. A hierarchical material uses self-assembly at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular scale to create higher order building blocks that organize into increasingly complex materials. Each length scale of organization imparts unique physical, chemical, and mechanical properties that collectively influence bulk material functionality. My research aims to understand the dependencies between molecular, mesoscale, and macroscale properties in hierarchical polymeric materials. We will then leverage these findings to engineer materials with desired characteristics, such as lightweight, polymer composites with exceptional strength, soft textiles that respond to stimuli, and structural materials with a low environmental footprint. This interdisciplinary research will bridge engineering, chemistry, material science, and physics to develop both fundamental and applied advancements in high performance materials.

About Me