Elizabeth Elacqua

Elizabeth Elacqua is an Associate Professor at Penn State University in the Department of Chemistry. Her research aligns with the university's Integrated Energy Systems and Equitable Communities and the Built Environment research themes.

Research Focus:

• Polymerization mechanisms (Ring-opening, ROCOP, Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization)
• Photoredox catalysis under confinement
• Conductive polymer composites (e.g., Au/TiO2 for energy storage)
• Hydrogen bonding in nanostructures
• Cyclophane and nanothread synthesis

Scientific Awards:

• Weinreb Early Career Professor (2024)
• IEE Seed Grant (2025, interdisciplinary team)

Notable Contributions: Her work on recyclable iridium-containing copolymers (2025) advances sustainable photoredox catalysis, while studies on cyclobutane-linked nanothreads (2025) explore novel materials for energy applications. Collaborative efforts on electrochemical carboxylic acid substitution platforms (2025) demonstrate versatility in synthetic chemistry.