SonBinh T. Nguyen

SonBinh T. Nguyen is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering. His research spans multiple areas of chemical science with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex problems in materials science and biomedical applications. He leads an active research group with numerous publications and collaborations across various scientific disciplines.

Dr. Nguyen's educational background includes:

• B.S. from Pennsylvania State University (with Prof. Gregory L. Geoffroy) in 1990
• Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology (with Professors Robert H. Grubbs and Nathan S. Lewis) in 1995

Professor Nguyen's research encompasses three main divisions in chemical science: inorganic/organometallic chemistry, organic synthesis, and polymer science. His group is particularly known for work in drug delivery and detection, metal-organic frameworks and porous organic materials, and graphene/graphene oxide research. The group approaches research from a collaborative and interdisciplinary perspective, with current projects focusing on developing vehicles for safe and effective administration of therapeutic agents, creating new disease detection technologies, and engineering novel porous materials with structural and chemical diversity.

The publication record of Professor Nguyen's group demonstrates a strong focus on nanomaterials, catalysis, and biomaterials. His recent work shows increasing emphasis on metal-organic frameworks, graphene-based materials, and advanced drug delivery systems. The research spans fundamental chemistry to applied biomedical applications, with many publications appearing in high-impact journals across chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology.

Professor Nguyen has received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout his career:

• McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence (2005)
• CAURS Award for Outstanding Support of Undergraduate Research (2005)
• ASG Faculty/Administrator Honor Roll (2005, 2004, and 2003)
• Dow Research Professor (2004)
• Weinberg Award for Distinguished Teaching (2003 and 2002)
• Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2001)
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2000)
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2000)
• Union Carbide Innovation Recognition Award (1999)
• David and Lucille Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering (1997)

Professor Nguyen has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students through his research group, which has maintained consistent activity as evidenced by group photos from 2012-2016. His research has been supported by significant grants from major funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. The group's work on ROMP-based polymer nanoparticles, metal-organic frameworks, and graphene oxide materials has led to multiple collaborative projects with other research groups at Northwestern and beyond.

The Nguyen Research Group operates with three main subgroups focused on Porous Materials, Graphene/Graphene Oxide, and Biomaterials. The group maintains active collaborations, including with the O'Halloran lab for drug delivery research. Their facilities support synthesis and characterization of advanced materials, with capabilities spanning organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and nanomaterials characterization.