Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
Rufina Alamo named Fellow of the American Physical
Society
By Engineering News
Congratulations to Rufina Alamo, professor in chemical and biomedical engineering at
the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, on being elected a Fellow of the American Physical
Society (APS).
Alan Chodos, associate executive officer of the American
Physics Society, made the official announcement to Alamo:
“I have the honor of informing you that the Council of the
American Physical Society at its November 2012 meeting acted
favorably on your nomination for Fellowship in the Society upon
the recommendation of the Division of Polymer Physics. As
you may know, election to Fellowship in the American Physical
Society is limited to no more than one half of one percent of the
membership. Election to APS Fellowship is recognition by your
peers of your outstanding contributions to physics.”
Alamo’s Fellowship Certificate citation reads as follows:
“For her use of well-characterized materials and
performance of carefully designed experiments to address
structure-property relationships in polyolefins.”
Alamo works with polyolefins that are simple large plastic
molecules able to adopt a large variety of shapes. Un- Dr. Rufina Alamo, Professor
branched, short-branched, long-branched, star-like, pompom like, comb-like and other types of polyolefins are feasible via relatively easy and inexpensive
synthetic paths.
Used almost everywhere, the short and long-branched polyolefins cover about 80% of the total
worldwide production of plastics. The two major types, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)
are often considered first for use in any application because of their excellent cost/performance
value such as low density, easy recyclability, and processability.
Polyolefins are easy to fabricate into useful products (film wraps, green houses, carpeting,
automobile parts, hospital gowns and hoses…) and have increasing design capability. Many,
many products are made from them with targeted product applications matched to polyolefin
branching and structure. For example, with few or no branches, the long molecules fold many
times and pack in symmetric strong arrays with uses often geared to special applications, such
as bullet-proof protective wear and orthopedic implants. Conversely, highly branched polyolefins
cannot easily pack in symmetric arrays because the branches are in the way. The result is a
softer, more elastic material such as film wraps, plastic bags, clothing and more. Alamo studies
how these molecules fold to understand the performance of polyolefin materials.
Alamo’s name and Fellowship citation appears in the March 2013 publication issue of APS
News and on the Fellowship Page of the America Physics Society home page.
Bruce Locke, professor in chemical and biomedical engineering and previous chair of the
department, upon learning of Alamo’s nomination announced to the College at-large, “Please
join me in congratulating Dr. Alamo for her Fellowship in the American Physical Society. Great
work!”
Faculty in the News
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