Will Gutekunst

Will Gutekunst serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Sciences. His research focuses on innovative synthetic organic chemistry approaches to complex macromolecular systems, with emphasis on sustainable polymer design.

His educational background includes a B.S. from the University of Oklahoma (2008), Ph.D. from The Scripps Research Institute (2013), and NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of California Santa Barbara (2013-2016).

Research interests span Organic and Materials Chemistry, with specialization in polymer chemistry informed by modern organic synthesis, dynamic control of polymer structure and function, and development of new functional/recyclable materials. His work pushes boundaries in macromolecular complexity through novel monomer design, small molecule reagents for polymer modulation, and innovative covalent bond formation strategies.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong focus on chemically recyclable polymers (34% of articles), stimuli-responsive materials (27%), and biobased monomer systems (22%). Key trends include topochemical polymerization techniques, informatics-driven sustainable design, and dynamic covalent chemistry for circular materials.

Award highlights include:

• ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award (2018)
• NIH Ruth L. Kirschtein Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013)
• BMS Graduate Fellowship in Organic Chemistry (2013)
• NSF Predoctoral Fellowship (2009)

His Gutekunst Lab trains students in synthetic organic chemistry and polymer characterization, with notable advisee Dr. Kellie Stellmach who defended her thesis on low ceiling temperature thiolactone monomers for chemically recycling polythioesters. Current research directions emphasize chemical circularity in 3D printing and informatics frameworks for sustainable polymer design.

The Gutekunst Lab develops innovative concepts for creating previously inaccessible functional materials through novel macromolecular architectures, with applications in recyclable polymers and advanced material systems.