Maria Santore

Maria Santore is a Professor in the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on designing responsive materials through the interplay of colloidal forces and polymeric dynamics. She holds affiliations with the Sylvio O. Conte National Center for Polymer Research and leads the Santore Research Group.

Education: B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (1985); Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University (1989).

Research Interests: Biomaterials (bacteriocidal surfaces, cell mimics), energy materials (reconfigurable membranes), and advanced coatings. Current projects explore curvature-controlled crystalline morphologies, bacterial-surface interactions, and nanopatterned surfaces for biomedical applications.

Recent Work: Her 2024 Nature Communications publication demonstrates novel methods for scalable 2D crystal growth on curved surfaces, advancing nanomaterial design. Research emphasizes dynamic material responses to flow, stress, and environmental stimuli.

• Awards: AAAS Fellowship (2012), ACS Fellow (2010), Chancellor’s Medal (2018)

Labs/Teams: Leads the Santore Research Group, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to bridge fundamental physics and applied material development. Active in the Conte Center for Polymer Research.