Research at Florida Southern is a collaborative journey. Through the Faculty-Student
Collaborative Research program, students work alongside faculty mentors to explore
new ideas, gain valuable research experience and contribute to discoveries that extend
across disciplines.
Dr. Ashley Braaksma with Lauren Helminiak, Kayley McDermott, and Andreea Vaida:
“Natural Feedstocks to Polymer Materials”
Funded by Hansen Science Scholars Fund and the Office of the Provost
For Dr. Ashley Braaksma, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, sustainability begins at
the molecular level.
A polymer chemist, Dr. Braaksma is developing environmentally friendly plastics derived
from renewable plant- and vegetable oil-based materials rather than traditional fossil
fuels. Her research focuses on creating polymers that perform effectively during use
while safely degrading into benign components at the end of their lifecycle.
“A key goal of our work is designing for sustainable end-of-life strategies, specifically
by incorporating degradable linkages into the polymer backbone,” Dr. Braaksma said.
“This targets the core issue of plastic persistence, ensuring that when these materials
reach the end of their useful life, they break down into safe, benign components.”
Working with students Andreea Vaida, Lauren Helminiak, and Kayley McDermott, Dr. Braaksma’s
laboratory is applying these sustainable design principles to a variety of challenges.
Helminiak is developing biodegradable polymers for targeted cancer drug delivery,
McDermott is designing reusable polymers capable of removing heavy metals from water
to help protect wetland ecosystems and Vaida is reimagining nylon using sustainable
materials for potential tissue engineering applications.
While the summer research concluded in July, each project will continue throughout
the academic year as senior research.
Dr. Deborah Bromfield Lee with Andrew Zivkovic:
"Development of a Greener Inorganic and Advanced Chemistry Lab Curriculum"
Funded by Hansen Science Scholars Fund and the Office of the Provost.
Dr. Deborah Bromfield Lee, Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair, spent the
summer redesigning Florida Southern’s chemistry laboratories to better reflect modern
research practices while incorporating the principles of Green Chemistry.
“The major project involved a complete review and overhaul of the Inorganic Chemistry
laboratory course and modified it with more modern and greener experiments,” Dr. Bromfield
Lee said. “Currently, the experiments use harmful reagents and outdated methodology,
and we revised or developed new experiments which will be piloted in Spring 2027.”
This comprehensive revision of the College’s Inorganic Chemistry laboratory course
allowed Dr. Bromfield Lee to replace experiments that relied on hazardous reagents
and outdated methodologies with safer, more environmentally responsible alternatives.
The redesigned laboratory curriculum will be piloted during the Spring 2027 semester.
Dr. Bromfield Lee’s secondary project focuses on modernizing the Advanced Synthesis
and Characterization course by integrating technologies such as microwave chemistry
and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR), giving students greater exposure
to techniques commonly used in today’s research laboratories.
Working alongside student researcher Andrew Zivkovik, Dr. Bromfield Lee evaluated
existing laboratory exercises, tested new experiments, and began developing instructional
materials including laboratory manuals and demonstration videos to support future
classroom implementation.
