Christopher Barrett

Christopher Barrett is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at McGill University and an Associate Member of the McGill School of Environment. He holds roles such as Convener of the Graduate Materials Program and Co-Director of the McGill Institute for Advanced Materials. His academic journey includes a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. from Queen's University (1992–1997), followed by an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at MIT (1998–1999). He has held prestigious positions like FRQNT Strategic Professor (2000–2005) and JSPS Visiting Professor at Tokyo Tech (2006–2007). His research focuses on designing light-responsive polymers and sustainable materials, with applications in bio-coatings, optoelectronics, and environmental solutions. Notable awards include the McGill Leo Yaffe Teaching Award (2009) and Fulbright Scholarships (2014, 2016). His lab, located in Otto Maass Building, houses advanced instrumentation for polymer synthesis, surface analysis, and laser optics. Students under his guidance have excelled in competitions, such as Shayne Gracious winning the 3-Minute Thesis Competition (2020) and Tristan Borchers earning an Outstanding Oral Presentation award (2019). Collaborations span institutions like UCLA, Berkeley, and Tokyo Tech, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches in materials science and chemistry.

Research interests include photochromic materials, azobenzene-based polymers, and sustainable bioplastics derived from natural polymers like cellulose and silk. His work bridges chemistry, physics, and engineering, with a focus on molecular-level structure-property relationships. Recent innovations involve sunlight-degradable materials and light-activated surface modifications. Grants and collaborations fund projects on renewable materials and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics. His lab’s infrastructure supports cutting-edge studies in nanotechnology, surface patterning, and biomaterials engineering.