Dr. Wil Srubar is an Associate Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he leads the Living Materials Laboratory. Dr. Srubar holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Stanford University, as well as BS and MS degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively. His multidisciplinary research integrates biology with polymer science and cement chemistry to create low-carbon, biomimetic, and living material technologies for the built environment. His work combines tools and techniques from microbiology, synthetic biology, materials science, civil engineering, and architecture. Dr. Srubar’s most recent research breakthroughs include engineering living building materials and carbon-neutral cement technologies derived from microalgae. Visit the Living Materials Laboratory website for more information on their work. 

Planned Polymaths Work: Dr. Srubar will evolve his research on multifunctional, engineered living materials in new directions by studying and manipulating the bioluminescent and carbon removal capabilities of living organisms. A major component of his future work will focus not only on terrestrial technologies, but also on extraterrestrial applications of engineered living materials.