Department Head, Chemistry Professor Director, New Materials Institute Biography Jason Locklin is the Department Head in Chemistry and, founder and Director of the UGA New Materials Institute, established in 2016 to focus research and teaching missions on green engineering principles and circular materials management. Dr. Locklin also serves as Site Director, overseeing UGA’s collaborations, for the Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2), a National Science Foundation Industry—University Collaborative Research Center. Dr. Locklin obtained his BS from Millsaps College in 1999; his MS in Chemistry from University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2002; and his PhD from the University of Houston in 2004. He was selected in 2005 as a Director of Central Intelligence Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University, in the Department of Chemical Engineering. In 2007, he joined UGA with joint appointments in the Department of Chemistry, in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Engineering. Dr. Locklin’s accolades include the Central Intelligence Agency Young Investigator Award (2007); the NSF Early Career Development Award (2010); and the Atlanta Magazine Groundbreaker Award (2011). He was named Chemist of the Year for Research in 2010 by the Northeast Georgia ACS. Dr. Locklin is passionate about teaching and enjoys working with his students. He is committed to producing bright, well-rounded graduates by exposing his students to multi-disciplinary research. Visit our Locklin Lab Alumni Page to see the types of jobs obtained by people who have been professionally mentored by Jason Locklin. Education Education: Ph.D. University of Houston, 2004 M.S. University of Alabama Birmingham, 2002 B.S. Millsaps College, 1999 Research Research Areas: Analytical Chemistry Organic Chemistry Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Research Interests: The research programs in our laboratory are centered on the materials properties of polymers and plastics. Our research activities involve organic and polymer synthesis, thermomechanical characterization, rheology, extrusion, and polymer processing. We also assess the end-of-life fate for plastic materials, with a special emphasis on biologically degradable and compostable plastics. The approach we take is multidisciplinary, which involves chemistry, physics, bioengineering, and materials science. Selected Publications Selected Publications: Biocomposite thermoplastic polyurethanes containing evolved bacterial spores as living fillers to facilitate polymer disintegration. Nature Communications 15.1 (2024): 3338. Experimentally Determined Hansen Solubility Parameters of Biobased and Biodegradable Polyesters, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 12.6 (2024): 2386-2393. Balancing Melt Solubility and Morphology in Epitaxial Nucleation: The Case of Nicotinic Acid and Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate). ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2023 5 (10), 8600-8607. Poly(butylene glutarate) as a processing aid for hot-melt extrusion of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate). MRS Communications, 2023, 1-8 Beyond Lattice Matching: The Role of Hydrogen Bonding in Epitaxial Nucleation of Poly (hydroxyalkanoates) by Methylxanthines. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2023 5 (5), 3858-3865 Semi-aromatic Bio-based Polyesters Derived from Lignin and Cyclic Carbonates. RCS Green Chemistry, 2021: Nov. 5, DOI 10.1039/D1GC03135J. Comparative Study of the Biological Degradation of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyhexanoate) Microbeads in Municipal Wastewater in Environmental and Controlled Laboratory Conditions. ACS Environmental Science and Technology, 2021: Aug. 12, DOI 10.1021/acs.est.1c00974. Blends of Poly(butylene glutarate) and Poly(lactic acid) with Enhanced Ductility and Composting Performance. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 2021: Feb. 25, DOI 10.1021/acsapm.1c00078. Photocross-linking Kinetics Study of Benzophenone Containing Zwitterionic Copolymers. ACS Omega, 2020: 5, 16, 9204–9211. Multipronged Approach to Combat Catheter-Associated Infections and Thrombosis by Combining Nitric Oxide and a Polyzwitterion: a 7 Day In Vivo Study in a Rabbit Model. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2020: 12, 8, 9070–9079. Ingested Micronizing Plastic Particle Compositions and Size Distributions within Stranded Post-Hatchling Sea Turtles. ACS Environmental Science and Technology, 2018: 52 (18). Biodegradation of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) Plastic under Anaerobic Sludge and Aerobic Seawater Conditions: Gas Evolution and Microbial Diversity. ACS Environmental Science and Technology, 2018: 52 (10).
