Dr. Samantha Kristufek

(she/her/hers)

Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Assistant Professor, starting Sep 2021

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry
Misrock Postdoctoral Fellow, Jan 2019 – Dec 2019
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Sep 2018 – Dec 2018, Jan 2020 - Jul 2021
Advisor: Professor Jeremiah A. Johnson

The University of Melbourne, Department of Chemical Engineering
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Mar 2017 – Jul 2018
Advisor: Professor Frank Caruso

Texas A&M University, Department of Chemistry
Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, May 2017
Advisor: Professor Karen L. Wooley

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
B.S. Chemistry, May 2011
Advisor: Professor Michael W. Justik

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Dr. Samantha Kristufek picture taken in front of a beach.

Sam was raised in the countryside of Butler, PA and received her BS in chemistry from Penn State Behrend in 2011. During her undergraduate career, she conducted research synthesizing hypervalent iodine compounds under the direction of Dr. Michael Justik. Tired of the snowy weather, she moved to sunny Texas A&M University where she worked under the direction of Professor Karen Wooley on synthesis and characterization of phenolic linear and cross-linked polymers for various applications. Looking for adventure and another area of research, she moved to Australia for 1.5 years and worked as a postdoc in material science in the laboratory of Professor Frank Caruso at the University of Melbourne. In September 2018, she joined Professor Jeremiah Johnson’s group to work in the area of polymer synthesis towards biomedical applications.

She is slated to start her independent career as an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, starting Sep 2021.

In her free time, Sam enjoys hiking, outdoor adventures, watching college football, and cooking.

Selected Awards and Honors

2021 Infinite Expansion Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Science

2020 Future Faculty Scholar, ACS PMSE Programming Committee

2019 Misrock Postdoctoral Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pepsico Travel Award, Journey through Science Day, sponsored by PepsiCo, 2015

BASF-TAMU Symposium, August 2014, 1st Place Poster Award, Texas A&M University

Scholastic Achievement in Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, The Behrend College Behrend, Dept. of Chemistry

Eli Lilly/WCC Travel Grant, Spring ACS Meeting 2011, American Chemical Society

NSF REU Chemistry Leadership Group Travel Award, Spring ACS Meeting 2011

Penn State Behrend/Sigma Xi Speaker Award, April 2010

Selected Services

Peer reviewer for scientific journals - Journal of the American Chemical Society, Macromolecules, Organic Letters, and Journal of Polymer Chemistry Part A

Chair of the Johnson Group Seminar Series Committee (June 2020-present)

Member of the steering committee for the conference, Frontiers in Bio-Nano Science – a CBNS EMCR event (January 2018-July 2018)

Women in Science and Engineering (2012-2016)

TAMU Departmental Safety Committee-Student Member (Spring 2015)

Graduate Student Association of Chemistry-Organic Division Representative (2014)