Megan Fieser is Gabilan Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. (USC Photo/Stephen Gee)
Megan Fieser explores practical solutions to plastic problems
Original story by Stephen Gee
To address the growing accumulation of plastics, Gabilan Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Wrigley Institute faculty affiliate Megan Fieser explores ways in which degradable plastics could be used as a replacement for commercial nondegradable plastics or how current products can be recycled or upcycled into commercially useful chemicals.
In 2019, Fieser and her lab began organizing local beach cleanups to not only remove plastic waste from our coasts, but to also track the types of plastics that wash up on the shores. Her lab hosts at least three beach cleanups annually, and next beach cleanup (open to all volunteers) will be held at Alamitos Beach on Sept. 29.
In a recent Q&A, Fieser shares more about her lab’s research and recent breakthroughs, next steps, and how students can get involved.