Polymer chemist Alex Plajer talks about his research journey, transitioning into a group-leader role, and his vision for the field.
Dr. Alex J. Plajer did not begin his career intending to become a polymer scientist.
His doctoral work at Cambridge under Dominic Wright was characterized by the unusual degree of academic freedom he was given. The openness of his supervisor and the scholarship he received allowed him to explore unconventional ideas and follow his scientific intuition. “It gave me a space to go crazy with creativity,” he recalls. That freedom trained him early to think independently, take intellectual risks, and develop confidence in his own decision-making.
Alex’s move into polymer research unfolded almost by coincidence. He first encountered polymer science during his postdoctoral years: he had applied to multiple groups for postdoctoral positions, and landed in a group rooted in polymer science. What began as a practical match quickly sparked a deeper fascination. Unlike classical synthetic chemistry, Alex explains, polymer science doesn’t end with the synthesis of a compound; it’s actually something where you can explore and test for material properties and applications.
Making polymer science tangible is one of his new tasks as a Junior Professor. The shift from being a postdoctoral researcher to becoming a Principal Investigator (PI), Alex emphasizes, was much bigger than the transition from PhD student to postdoc. “The skills you need as a group leader are quite different from the ones you use in the lab,” he admits. Managing people, budgeting, mentoring young scientists, and organizing a team requires a new set of competencies — ones that are rarely taught during scientific training. When he encounters situations he feels unprepared for, he turns to trusted senior colleagues and to managing advice from outside academia.
Nowadays, Alex spends much more time writing papers, preparing grants, reading literature, and supporting his team than working at the bench. Although Alex loved “trying a new idea I had just that day” in the lab, he now finds meaning in leading and mentoring students through the phases of big personal development that often overlap with a PhD or postdoc.
Alex’s group combines unusual monomers into functional polymers to approach sustainability from a fundamental research angle: “How can more exotic elements change catalysis and [the] properties of polymers?” What happens when we replace this element with that element in the chain? Can this change the way polymers behave? How can we catalyze ring-opening in order to unleash more functionalities of the polymer backbone? Can we tune their properties such as degradability? The team’s ultimate vision is to understand how such hybrid systems can be engineered to unlock properties inaccessible with conventional polymer structures.
When asked what guidance he would give early career researchers, Alex answers modestly. He doesn’t like to intrude on students’ personal lives, which differ profoundly, especially knowing how challenging the PhD years can be. Instead, he keeps his advice simple: pursue your dreams with passion. He believes that genuine curiosity remains the most important driver of good science.
Alex’s own scientific journey may have been influenced by chance, but his career has been shaped by creativity, openness, and a commitment to understanding both polymers and people; in the end, “we are all made of (bio)polymers!” His work demonstrates that impactful research thrives not only on strong scientific foundations, but also on supportive leadership, intellectual freedom, and the courage to explore unconventional ideas.
So does the accidental polymer scientist have a favorite polymer? “Any new polymer we just made: our latest creation is always the most exciting one!” he says, decisively.
Dr. Alex Pajer is a recipient of the 2025 Macromolecular Rapid Communications Junior Researcher Award.