Samuel G. Dunning

Samuel G. Dunning serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Sciences and Mathematics within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the District of Columbia, where he conducts cutting-edge research in high-pressure materials synthesis and characterization.

His academic credentials include a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Sheffield.

Dunning's research program centers on high-pressure chemical synthesis and mechanochemical processes for developing advanced materials, with particular expertise in carbon nanothreads and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). He employs sophisticated analytical techniques including FTIR/Raman spectroscopy and powder/single-crystal x-ray crystallography to investigate material structures for energy storage and environmental gas capture applications.

His publication record shows consistent innovation in nanothread formation pathways and functional MOF development, demonstrating strong integration of materials chemistry, high-pressure physics, and structural characterization methodologies across recent high-impact journals.

Key recognitions include:

• Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemical Sciences, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation (2022-2024)
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Carnegie Institution for Science (2021-2024)
• IUCr Young and Early Career Scientists Award, International Union of Crystallography (2022)

Dunning currently directs research funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation grant "Weaving diamond nanothreads into multidimensional porous polymers" (2022). While no formal graduate students are documented, his teaching portfolio in organic and general chemistry courses indicates active undergraduate mentorship. His laboratory maintains specialized capabilities for high-pressure synthesis and materials characterization at UDC's Van Ness Campus.