Steve Lustig

Steve Lustig is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, where he has been since 2016. He holds academic affiliations with the Institute for Mechanobiology and contributes to research areas including Chemical Engineering, Biomolecular & Biomedical Engineering, Complex & Computational Systems, Energy & Sustainability, and Materials & Nanotechnology. His research focuses on designing molecular and materials structures for novel properties using integrated theoretical (quantum chemistry, statistical mechanics) and experimental methods (microlithography, electrospinning, spectroscopy).

Education background includes a PhD and MS from Purdue University (1989, 1985) and a BSChE with Distinction from University of Virginia (1983). Awards include NAI Senior Membership, RSC Fellowship, and multiple DuPont awards. His work has led to innovations like Graphimine 2D polymers and the Kevlar® EXO™ product through collaborations with DuPont.

Research programs address societal challenges via three core areas: 2D polymer synthesis (e.g., graphimine materials), COSMOdesign methodology for molecular/materials design, and nanostructured enzyme-based air cathodes for microbial fuel cells. Notable grants include a $275k Army Research Lab award for 2D polymer development and contributions to high-performance fiber studies.

Collaborations with industry and national labs have yielded 7 patents for Kevlar® EXO™ technology. Students supervised include Jiaming Xu, co-author on waste heat energy research. Current projects explore hierarchical mechanisms in high-performance fibers and aerosol filtration for public health applications.