Frank E. Karasz

Degree Information: B.S. Chemistry, ARCS, Imperial College, University of London, 1954 Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Washington, 1958 D.Sc. University of London, 1971 Mailing Address: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Room A413, Conte Research Center University of Massachusetts Amherst 120 Governors Drive Amherst, MA 01003 Phone: 413-545-4872 Email: fekarasz@polysci.umass.edu Fax: 413-545-0082

Research Interests:
Polymer physics and chemistry (a) Polymer-polymer interactions in binary amorphous and amorphous-crystalline systems: effects of copolymerization and microstructure (b) Quasi-elastic light scattering from macromolecular solutions (c) Electronic and optical properties of polymers

Current Research:
Present research activities are focused on opto-electronic properties of modified conjugated polymers. A general objective is to maximize quantum yields of photon emission in these systems. One route has been to design macromolecules with alternating chromophoric and non-chromophoric sequences; another has been to use blends of appropriate morphology to enhance excitonic energy transfer. Other areas of interest include membrane modification by ion implantation to increase permselectivity; conformation of solvated chains below the θ-point (coil-globule transitions) and the effect of chain architecture on miscibility in multi-component systems.

Contemporary Science of Polymeric Materials Symposium

Honors and Distinctions:

• Member, National Academy of Engineering, 1991-
• President, Scientific Council, IRTEMP, Naples, 1995-2002
• Corresponding Member, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1997-
• Member, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2000-
• Foreign Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering, 1999-
• Member, USRA Microgravity Science and Applications Science Council, 1999-
• Member, National Research Council, National Materials Advisory Board, 2001-
• Mettler Award in Thermal Analysis
• Education Service Award (Plastics Institute of America)
• High Polymer Physics Prize (Ford Prize), American Physical Society
• Society of Plastics Engineers Research Award
• Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of St. John (Knights of Malta)
• Herman F. Mark Medal of the Austrian Institute for Chemical Research
• Fellow, Polymer Materials Science and Engineering Division, American Chemical Society
• Foreign Fellow of the Indian Materials Research Society
• Honorary Medal, Slovak Academy of Sciences