Materials pillar (Leads, Bucknall and McCoustra) – The Materials pillar builds upon the expertise in synthesis, multi-scale modeling, analysis and characterization of polymers. This expertise is targeted towards initiatives to develop viable novel materials including biomaterials, and recycling versus degradation of plastics. Expertise includes synthetic chemistry and catalysis (e.g. producing novel monomers that will make more readily degradable plastics and exploring the conversion of specific biopolymer wastes), analytical science (e.g. developing novel infrared and microwave technologies for identification of plastics in waste streams and in the environment), fundamental materials science, characterization of the physical properties of plastics (including recyclability and degradation).