Erik was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, but moved frequently with his active duty military father. He completed his BS in general chemistry from the University of Florida in 2015. From there, he moved to Case Western Reserve University, joining Stuart Rowan’s research group. In 2016, he moved with Professor Rowan to the University of Chicago, where he is currently pursuing his PhD in molecular engineering.
Erik is currently researching production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and their modification with stimuli-responsive materials. CNCs are an industrially viable material that have surprisingly robust moduli. By modifying these CNCs with responsive materials, Erik is investigating the change and reversibility in mechanical properties and ultimately material-property relationships.