Zachary P. Smith

Zachary P. Smith is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at an unnamed university. His research focuses on membrane separations, polymer physics, porous materials, and nanotechnology with applications in energy and environmental sustainability. He holds a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University (2008), M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin (2011, 2014), and was a Postdoctoral Scholar at UC Berkeley (2014–2016).

His work emphasizes advanced materials for gas and liquid separations, including polymeric membranes, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and composite materials. Key contributions include optimizing polymer free-volume structures, functionalizing materials for enhanced selectivity, and studying aging effects in membranes.

• Research Highlights: Acid gas purification, hydrogen separation, solvent-based separations, and scalable membrane fabrication
• Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2022), Noyce Career Chair (2021), ONR Young Investigator Award (2021)

Publications span 2010–2025, with recent emphasis on MOF-polymer composites, free-volume manipulation in polymers, and data-driven material discovery. His work addresses challenges in CO2 capture, H2S removal, and industrial hydrocarbon separations.

Grants and funding include multi-million-dollar awards from DOE, NSF, and industry partnerships. He leads interdisciplinary teams focused on translating lab-scale innovations into industrial applications.