72 Who is Jonathan Wilker?
Kinkead Crotts and Rosie Fisher
Jonathan Wilker is an engineer and educator who studies creating marine animal-inspired underwater adhesives for diverse applications such as surgery and construction. As a professor at Purdue University, he teaches courses in inorganic chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry and has received recognition for his teaching excellence, including The College of Science Outstanding Teacher Award. Wilker’s academic journey began with undergraduate studies in chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, followed by graduate and postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology, respectively [1].
His research encompasses biomaterials, biomimetic materials, and material characterization, particularly focusing on understanding marine animal adhesion mechanisms. Notable achievements include the development of polymer adhesives with superior bonding strength, leading to the founding of Mussel Polymers Inc. in 2019, where Wilker serves as Lead Scientist, furthering his innovations in adhesive technology. Throughout his career, Wilker has been honored with prestigious awards such as the PopTech Science Fellowship, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship, and the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award, highlighting his significant contributions to the field of biomimicry and materials science.
