Principal Investigator
Boran Ma, she/her
Assistant professor at SPSE
Faculty advisor for Women in Science and Engineering
Dr. Boran “Bo” Ma is an Assistant Professor in the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to joining SPSE in January 2023, Bo was a postdoctoral associate at Duke University. She received her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University in 2019 and her BEng in Materials Science and Engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2014.
The Ma Research Lab focuses on multiscale modeling and simulation of polymeric materials and systems for energy and sustainability applications. Bo performs stand-up comedy in her free time, and enjoys hiking, running, and paddle boarding.
Graduate Students
Joined MRL summer 2023
Alex Rosario, he/him
Graduate Research Assistant
Alex comes to us from the University of Florida where he graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in Chemistry. He had the opportunity to work with three great professors and mentors during his undergraduate studies: Dr. Patrick Hillesheim working with ionic liquids, Dr. James Newton working on a pharmaceuticals project, and Dr. Zhe Qiang working with polymers.
Growing up in a military family he’s had the opportunity to travel the world and try many foods, his favorite of which was gelato in Italy, and perhaps the strangest was a silkworm in South Korea. His hobbies include building legos, watching anime, and playing piano. His favorite polymer is poly(4-chlorostyrene) to which he owes his start in the polymer world.
Joined MRL summer 2023
Bradley Lamb, he/him
Graduate Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Zhe Qiang
After spending a few years in community colleges, Bradley transferred into Western Washington University where he completed his B.S. in Polymer Materials Engineering. During his time at Western, he had the incredible opportunity to join the Ocean Plastics Research team where he discovered his favorite polymer, ABS, during a recycling project. Through his research he was invited to live on a boat at Katmai National Park for a week, collecting plastic marine debris. This is where he saw first hand how our current way of life impacts the environment and the animals that inhabit it. From that moment he decided to dedicate himself towards helping move our society to a more sustainable future and protect the environment. However, his love for the environment doesn’t stop in the lab! Over the years he’s welcomed countless pets into his life including cats, a snake, an axolotl, and many more amazing critters.
Joined MRL summer 2023
Bryant Grove, he/him
Graduate Research Assistant
Co-advised with Dr. Derek Patton
Bryant came to the University of Southern Mississippi in 2020, after graduating from Mississippi College with a B. S. in Chemical Physics. Initially, he worked under Dr. Patton in creating chemical composites. In 2023, he shifted to being co-advised by Dr. Boran Ma and Dr. Patton, with a focus on computational modeling of graphene nanocomposites and engineering advanced components using finite element method. Bryant’s current hobbies include going to restaurants, watching movies, TV shows and comedy, reading audiobooks and working out seven days a week.
Joined MRL spring 2024
Dan Struble, he/him
Graduate Research Assistant
After taking an extremely roundabout path to STEM, Dan obtained a B.S. in Polymer Materials Engineering from Western Washington University where his undergraduate research focused on small-molecule synthesis of novel biobased thermoset monomers and diluents to impart targeted degradability to legacy thermoset systems. This (unsuccessful) work inspired his interest in leveraging computational methods to develop deeper understandings of the complex chemical and physical properties of polymer systems. Dan is passionate about science communication and education, particularly where they intersect with pragmatic solutions for plastics use and sustainability.
Outside of the lab, he likes bikes, cooking, and yoyos; and has been known to develop unreasonably strong opinions about trivial things including but absolutely not limited to: the difference between a spatula and a turner, celebrities as voice actors, and light color temperature. In July 2012 he got a perfect score in Wii Bowling.
Joined MRL spring 2024
Jonathan Perkins, he/him
Graduate Research Assistant
Jonathan acquired his B. S. in Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi in 2022. After which, he took a gap year working as a research assistant under the guidance of Dr. Zhe Qiang at USM, where he characterized and synthesized vitrimers through reactive extrusion. His hobbies include playing video games, watching anime, hanging out at the local board game store, and collecting hat pins as mementos from places he visits.
Undergraduate Students
Joined MRL spring 2024
Benjamin Dawson, he/him
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ben enrolled in the University of Southern Mississippi in 2023, before becoming a member of MRL in the spring of 2024. As an undergraduate member, he is currently pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science. He is currently assisting in the computational modeling and simulation of graphene-based nanocomposites. Some of Ben’s hobbies include playing and designing video games, creating one-time use python scripts, learning and playing musical instruments, as well as performing with the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band.
Joined MRL summer 2024
Colin Flanagan, he/him
Undergraduate Research Assistant (REU)
Colin got to be a part of the Ma Research Lab by participating in the summer research experience for undergraduate students. His work in the lab involved the relationship between compositional parameters of polymer ink solutions and their wettability or contact angle. He is currently pursuing a B.A. in Chemistry and Mathematics at Hood College, in Frederick Maryland. Some of Colin’s favorite activities include being with his girlfriend, playing the guitar, lifting weights, working on cars, and playing video games.
Visiting Scholars
Joined MRL summer 2024
Lisa Klann, she/her
RET | Teacher at d’Iberville High School
Lisa spent her formidable years traveling with her military father and mother, eventually settling on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to finish her secondary education. She then went on to receive her BS at the University of Southern Mississippi and then began her teaching journey in South Mississippi.
Soon, marriage led her to Southwest Michigan where she shied away from teaching for a few years to work in Research and Development for Scott Aviation. But, academia pulled her back into teaching at the junior college and eventually back into high school. Lisa received her MS degree from Western Michigan University.
After 20 years of marriage, one daughter, a small petting zoo and three different school districts- Lisa said goodbye to Michigan to return “home” to Mississippi where she currently teaches chemistry and physics at d’Iberville High School on the beautiful Gulf Coast. She enjoys painting, bowling and lounging by the pool with her fiance Kevin and their pets Maggie and Margeaux.
If she had to choose a favorite polymer it would be PEEK, mostly due to its British origin and ability to withstand such amazingly high temperatures.
Honorary Members
Group Alumni
Sameer Ishaq
Morgan Gunter (2023 summer REU)