Robert Waymouth

Robert Waymouth is the Robert Eckles Swain Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemical Engineering. He holds additional appointments as a Member of Bio-X, Faculty Fellow of Sarafan ChEM-H, Member of the Stanford Cancer Institute, and Affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

Professor Waymouth received his BS in Chemistry and BA in Mathematics summa cum laude from Washington and Lee University (1982), PhD in Chemistry from Caltech under Professor R.H. Grubbs (1987), and postdoctoral training at ETH Zurich (1988). He joined Stanford as an assistant professor in 1988, became full professor in 1997, and was named the Robert Eckles Swain Professor of Chemistry in 2000.

Waymouth's research focuses on developing new catalytic strategies for creating bioactive polymers, synthetic fuels, and sustainable plastics. His work spans organometallic and organic catalysis with emphasis on macromolecular architectures. Key breakthroughs include a selective alcohol oxidation catalyst for unprotected polyols and the development of Charge-Altering Releasable Transporters (CARTs) for RNA delivery, which has proven effective for mRNA-based cancer vaccines. His group collaborates extensively, notably with IBM's James Hedrick on organic catalysts and flow reactors for novel polymer synthesis.

Professor Waymouth's scientific contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the Herman F. Mark Award (2023), ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry (2022), and the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award (2012). His earlier career was marked by the Alan T. Waterman Award (1996) and the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching (1997).

As an advisor, Waymouth has mentored numerous doctoral students including Julia Dressel, David Dumas, Yuan Jia, Sam Khasnavis, and Joshua Lui. His research is generously supported by the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, NASA, Office of Naval Research, and Stanford institutes including the Precourt Institute for Energy and Woods Institute for the Environment.

The Waymouth Group maintains an active research program focusing on mechanistic principles in catalysis, development of novel catalysts, selective redox reactions, and application of in-situ techniques. The group has a strong track record of translating fundamental discoveries into practical applications, particularly in sustainable materials and therapeutic delivery systems.