Josh Worch

Josh Worch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), part of the College of Science. He leads the Worch Lab, focused on designing sustainable polymers from renewable sources to address ecological challenges. His research emphasizes recyclable materials, dynamic bonding, and green chemistry processes.

Education: B.A. in Chemistry & Physics from Manchester University (2011), Ph.D. in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University (2016). Postdoctoral roles included a Marie Curie Research Fellowship at the University of Warwick/Birmingham (2017–2019) and Group Leader at the University of Birmingham (2020–2022).

Research Interests: Creation of intrinsically recyclable polymers, biogenic feedstocks, additive manufacturing, and programmable material lifetimes. Key themes include stereochemical control, green synthesis, and circular economy principles.

Awards:

• M. Zouhair Atassi Research Paper Prize (2021)
• Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Grant (2019)
• School of Chemistry Public Engagement Award (2019)
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017)

Labs & Teams: Worch Lab at Virginia Tech explores sustainable polymer design, with a focus on recycling and additive manufacturing. Group members gain expertise in polymer synthesis, materials characterization, and degradation studies.