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Professor Ryan Hayward has witnessed the continued advancement of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering since he joined ���񱦵� four years ago. Now he’s looking forward to stepping into his new role as department chair.

Hayward, who holds the James and Catherine Patten Endowed Professorship of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was elected chair by the department’s faculty. His term begins on July 1.

“Our department is among the top chemical and biological engineering departments in the country,” Hayward said. “Our faculty has never been more vibrant in research and in contributions to the department’s culture. Over the past several years, we’ve hired fantastic junior faculty and made a number of�� excellent senior-level hires. In addition, our graduate students��are more qualified and more diverse than ever before.

“It thrills me to be part of this,” he added.

Hayward replaces Professor Will Medlin, who led the department as chair for four years. Medlin is credited with deftly piloting the department through the challenges of COVID and overseeing a period of strong growth in faculty, funded research and the graduate program.

As chair, Hayward plans to hire several faculty in key areas, including sustainability, biological engineering, computational engineering and materials.��

He also aims to increase undergraduate enrollment and improve communication with undergraduate students about the value and versatility of the department’s biological engineering and chemical engineering degrees, which not only prepare students for careers in traditional fields, like petrochemicals and oil and gas, but also in materials science, microelectronics, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, sustainability and medicine, among others.

Leadership path

Over the past three years, Hayward received two major departmental awards, including the department’s Overall Achievement Award (2023) and the Engineering Service Award (2021).

“It’s truly flattering to be recognized in this way, especially considering the many faculty in the department who excel in research, teaching and service,” Hayward said of his receiving the Overall Achievement Award. “This year was particularly balanced for me, with several positive developments for my research team, including the publication of a few high-impact papers. While my graduate students and postdocs deserve most of the credit for these achievements, I am honored to receive this award on their behalf.”

Hayward added that he has taught the polymer engineering class for the past several years. Each year, he tries to make�� improvements to the course.

“This year, those changes resonated well with the class, contributing to a great semester,” he said.

Hayward’s service award was based on his role as a faculty associate chair, where he oversaw faculty promotion, tenure, hiring and mentoring as well as social and scientific events, fostering community and scientific engagement between faculty.�� Externally, he is also a member of the leadership team in the Division of Polymer Physics for the American Physical Society.��

Hayward’s research focuses on responsive materials, which change their properties when a parameter is adjusted. Light-responsive materials use light to control and power materials wirelessly, with potential applications in robotics, autonomous vehicles and small submersible aircraft. Electrically responsive materials have potential uses in virtual reality devices, such as simulating a touch sensation by controlling the stiffness of a glove, and in medical devices with an exoskeleton that stiffens or softens as a person moves. They also have applications in industrial processing for handling objects or substrates.��

“I am truly honored that my colleagues have asked me to take on this role," Hayward said. "I look forward to contributing to the continued development of a collaborative, innovative and inclusive culture in the department."