Katrina Knauer

Katrina Knauer is a Researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) serving as Postdoctoral Liaison Coordinator for BioEconomy & Sustainable Transportation within the Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center. She concurrently holds the position of Chief Technology Officer for the Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) Consortium, where she leads initiatives in plastic waste upcycling and recyclable polymer design.

Her academic credentials include:

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Florida State University
• PhD in Polymer Chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi

Dr. Knauer's research centers on solving plastic pollution through advanced chemical recycling methodologies. Her work spans polymer upcycling, sustainable material design, and environmental impact mitigation, with particular expertise in thermoset plastics, nanocomposites, and microplastic ecosystems. She investigates surface properties of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane structures and develops depolymerization pathways for multilayer packaging systems.

Analysis of her 17 publications (2022-2025) reveals a dominant focus on transforming plastic waste streams into valuable resources. Key trends include chemical recycling of carbon fiber composites, antibiotic resistance mechanisms in plastispheres, and hybrid polyester synthesis from mixed plastic feeds. Her research bridges fundamental polymer science with industrial-scale sustainability solutions.

As BOTTLE Consortium CTO, she directs collaborative efforts across national laboratories, industry partners, and academic institutions. Her leadership in postdoctoral coordination supports next-generation scientists in sustainable transportation and bioeconomy research. Media coverage includes features in 4 news outlets and engagement across X, Bluesky, and academic platforms like Mendeley.