Jessica Shrestha
University of Southern Mississippi
What drew you to study coatings or materials science specifically?
For me, it wasn’t so much coatings at the start as it was the bigger picture of polymer science and materials. I was drawn in because it felt like a place where chemistry, biology, and engineering all met in one discipline. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that you can design a material to behave a certain way; to bend, to stretch, to heal, or even to interact with the body. That’s what pulled me into polymer science. Over time, I’ve realized that whether it’s biomedical polymers for wound healing or other applications like coatings, thinking and designing at a molecular level to solve macro/real-world problems is what excites me.
What’s been the most interesting lab or project you’ve worked on so far?
Right now, it’s my Honors thesis on sprayable peptide amphiphile hydrogels. I’m studying how different peptide, cell, and calcium concentrations change the mechanical properties and sprayability of these materials. It’s been my first experience running a full design of experiments—planning the study, running every replicate, and analyzing the results. What makes it interesting is how many layers there are to it. On one hand, I get to work with the fundamentals of polymer networks and mechanics, and on the other, we are thinking about how those properties translate into something that could be used for wound healing. That combination of fundamental science and real-world impact is what makes the work feel meaningful to me.
Are there specific roles or companies you hope to work for after graduation?
I see myself either in graduate school or in an R&D role where I can stay close to the science but also be part of building things that go out into the world. I’m drawn to labs and companies that focus on biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and advanced polymers, because those areas align with what excites me most. I think about places like MIT’s Biological Engineering program, or companies like Boston Scientific, Medtronic, or Linde, where materials innovation has a direct link to improving human health and safety. I don’t see my path as linear; I’m open to opportunities that challenge me to keep learning. What matters to me is staying in an environment where I can be hands-on, solve problems, and push myself to think about the bigger impact of the work.
Do you have a dream application or product you’d love to work on someday?
I’m at a point where almost everything I study sparks a new idea or an exciting possibility. Every lecture, every paper, every experiment seems to open another door for how materials could be used to make the world better. If I had to name one dream application, it would be a sprayable scaffold for wound healing and emergency care. I love the idea of a material that could be quickly applied, conform to the wound, and then support cells and tissues in repairing themselves. That kind of product represents the best of what polymers can do. They’re engineered at the molecular level but make a direct, visible difference in people’s lives.
I’m also fascinated by products like Boston Scientific’s drug-eluting stents which is such a powerful example of how a polymer isn’t just structural, but functional. The coating actively delivers medication, lowers the risk of restenosis, and improves patient outcomes on a massive scale. That’s the kind of translation from materials design to real-world impact that inspires me, and the kind of innovation to which I’d love to contribute in my career.
What advice would you give a high school or first-year college student curious about this field?
I’d tell them not to underestimate the power of curiosity and persistence. Nobody starts out an expert; you learn piece by piece, by asking questions, watching others, and messing up and trying again. I’d also encourage them to keep an open mind about what “materials science” or “polymer science” means. It’s a field that can lead you into aerospace, medicine, sustainability, electronics, even art. The best thing you can do early on is expose yourself to as many directions as possible and pay attention to which ones excite you. Over time, you’ll find your niche; but the broader your foundation, the stronger your perspective will be. And maybe, most importantly, remember that science isn’t just about what happens in the lab, it’s also about why it matters. If you can connect the technical side of what you’re learning to a bigger purpose, whether that’s healing patients, protecting the environment, or building safer infrastructure, you’ll always have a reason to keep going.
Jessica Shrestha is a senior at the University of Southern Mississippi majoring in Polymer Science and Engineering, with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics. Her undergraduate research focuses on sprayable peptide amphiphile hydrogels designed for wound healing, and her Honors thesis explores how peptide, cell, and calcium concentrations influence the mechanical properties and sprayability of these materials.