Hi! I’m a founding team member of NuMat Technologies, a nanotech startup using advanced materials to sense, capture, and destroy toxic environmental pollutants.
I was introduced to metal-organic-framework materials while pursuing a Ph.D. in chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, where I explored using AI to develop novel material designs. I have authored patents, academic publications, and open-source libraries.
I enjoy sharing my experiences with entrepreneurs and technologists. I’ve given talks and mentored companies at universities, national labs, venture funds, and large companies. I’m easily nerd sniped and willing to help on projects with a clear positive societal impact. If you’re interested, please email me to continue the conversation.
Nanotechnology is making materials better by zooming in and organizing their atoms. Here are some nicely organized atoms:
Looks like a drinking straw, doesn’t it? Well, in some ways, it is. These nanotubes are incredibly strong if you push in from the ends but flexible if you push from the sides. Small molecules can pass through but large molecules can’t. They’re so small that you can only see the straws with high-end microscopes. In the real world, we’ll see nanotubes as a flour-like powder that can be used by product manufacturers for its straw-like properties.
Organizing atoms to make powders with interesting properties. That’s nanotech.
We use nanotech to make very good filters💬Not too far off from the water and HEPA filters you might have at home!. We atomically design nanomaterials by using metal-organic-framework chemistry and rational computational principles. When designed right, our materials provide astronomical performance improvements for targeted applications.
We make the world’s best gas masks for first responders, safety systems for industrial workers, precious metal scavengers, and even military technology supporting the counter-proliferation of chemical warfare agents.
We use computation to rationally design nanomaterials. We use computers to design materials with nano-sized holes large enough for some molecules to pass through but small enough to block others. This approach allows us to design the right material for the right application™ and make amazing products in high-value industries.
I’m a chemical engineer by training, a software developer by passion, and a deep tech business builder by career. I use my varied background to help where it’s needed most, be it fundraising, team building, new capability buildout, or startup growing pains.
I’m currently focused on leading NuMat’s tech team toward the development of critical technology for personal protective equipment. PPE is a massive need requiring substantial industry-specific customization, as the hazards faced by firefighters are very different than those faced by lithium miners. Initial proof points have led to a torrent of PPE technology requests and a tech team constantly growing to keep up.
To manage the growing pains, I’ve had to work on increasingly abstract challenges. Individual contribution gave way to people management, which gave way to product management, which in turn gave way to tackling challenges around organizational health and company-level processes.
