Hareesh Iyer

Department: Materials Science and Engineering

Advisor: Eleftheria Roumeli

Of the 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste generated since the 1950s, less than 10% has been recycled, while almost 80% has accumulated in landfills. These plastics often end up in the environment, causing acute trauma to animals that ingest them, and concentrating organic pollutants that can be harmful to animals and humans alike. My research in Dr. Eletheria Roumeli’s lab focuses on the development of plastics that are sustainably sourced and biodegradable. I work with algae and plant biomatter, as well as bacteria and bacterially-produced biomatter, to create materials that are lower in environmental impact over their entire life cycle than traditional polymers. These materials have the future potential to replace single-use plastics such as containers, casings, and utensils, as well as cellular materials like packaging and acoustic foams.