Dr. Jeffrey Scott Moore stands as a preeminent figure in materials chemistry and polymer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He currently holds the distinguished position of Stanley O. Ikenberry Research Professor of Chemistry and serves as Professor Emeritus following an illustrious career that spanned nearly three decades at the institution. Moore earned both his undergraduate degree in Chemistry (1984) and Doctorate in Materials Science (1989) from the University of Illinois, establishing deep roots at the institution that would define his academic journey. After completing an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship at Caltech and serving as an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, he returned to Illinois in 1993 where he steadily rose through the ranks to become one of the university's most influential scientific leaders. His leadership extended to serving as Director of the prestigious Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology from 2017 to 2022, following a year as Interim Director.
Dr. Moore's groundbreaking research in polymer mechanochemistry has established him as a pioneer in the field of responsive materials, fundamentally transforming how scientists understand the relationship between mechanical force and chemical reactions in polymers. His laboratory integrates principles from physical organic chemistry and engineering with innovative polymer synthesis to create materials that respond intelligently to mechanical activation, producing chemical signals or undergoing specific reactions when stressed. This work has led to the development of groundbreaking self-healing polymers that can autonomously repair damage, materials that warn of excessive stress before failure, and polymers capable of restoring electrical circuits—revolutionizing approaches to material durability and safety. Moore's research on mechanochemical transduction has provided fundamental insights that have enabled the design of lighter, stronger organic materials with unprecedented longevity and reliability for aerospace, biomedical, and electronic applications. His contributions have been widely recognized through extensive publication in top-tier journals and numerous invitations to present his work at international conferences as the field's leading authority.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Moore has significantly shaped materials science education through innovative approaches to teaching organic chemistry, integrating digital resources and web-based conferencing to foster curiosity-driven learning and problem-solving skills among students. His commitment to advancing scientific knowledge extends to his service as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, where he developed course-based research experiences to make molecular science accessible to undergraduates and the general public. Moore's leadership in the scientific community is further evidenced by his 14-year tenure as Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Chemical Society and his membership in the National Academy of Sciences, among other prestigious honors. His mentorship has cultivated the next generation of materials scientists through the professional development programs he established in his research group, emphasizing both technical excellence and educational impact. Dr. Moore continues to influence the field through his work with the Autonomous Materials Systems Group at the Beckman Institute, where his legacy of innovation in materials science remains profoundly impactful.
