Christian W. Pester

Dr. Christian W. Pester is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Delaware. He holds courtesy appointments in the Chemistry Department and previously served as the Thomas K. Hepler Early Career Professor in Chemical Engineering at Penn State University. His research focuses on advanced functional surfaces, heterogeneous photocatalysis, self-healing coatings, and chemical recycling of PET plastics. Pester has been recognized with awards including the NSF CAREER Award (2022) and the TOSOH Award (2024). He earned a Diploma in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Bayreuth and a PhD from RWTH Aachen, followed by postdoctoral work at UCSB and Humboldt-funded research in Germany. His lab develops light-driven polymerization techniques, antimicrobial coatings, and sustainable materials solutions.

Education:

• Diploma in Polymer and Colloid Chemistry, University of Bayreuth (Germany)
• PhD in Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University (Germany), 2013 (summa cum laude, Borchers Medal)

Research Highlights:

• Pioneered oxygen-tolerant surface-initiated PET-RAFT polymerization for functional coatings
• Developed photocatalytic systems for organic synthesis and wastewater treatment
• Engineered self-healing polymer coatings with rapid micron-scale repair capabilities
• NSF-funded work on PET plastic recycling via hydrolysis

Grants & Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2022)
• ACS Polymers Au: Rising Star (2023)
• RSC Emerging Investigator (2023)
• Over 20 patents and 100+ peer-reviewed publications

Labs/Teams: Active in the Pester Research Group at UD, collaborating with institutions like TU Braunschweig and Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research on mental health in academia and materials innovation.