Jessica joined Argonne National Laboratory in 2021 as a postdoctoral researcher in the Chemical Science and Engineering (CSE) Division. As a member of the Institute for Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics (iCOUP), her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of homogeneous and supported organometallic catalysts for the activation and transformation of hydrocarbons and upcycling of plastic waste.

Jessica completed her doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry under Dermot O’Hare’s guidance at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with SCG Chemicals Co., Ltd. (Thailand). She developed highly efficient ethylene polymerization catalysts, resulting in pilot plant testing and planned commercialization of a new catalyst system. Following her doctorate work, she was appointed as a postdoctoral research associate, evolving her research to focus on designing new organometallic catalysts for the synthesis of biodegradable polymers.

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK, 2019
• Master of Chemistry and Bachelor of Science, University of Leeds, UK, 2015

Awards

• Impact Argonne Award, 2022
• Foresight Fellowship in Molecular Catalysis, 2021
• Balliol College David Kevan Lloyd Fund Award, 2018
• Clothworkers’ Innovation Fund Award, 2014
• BP Undergraduate Scholarship, 2012
• Eliahou Dangoor Scholarship, 2011
• Head of School Excellence Scholarship, 2011

Select Publications

• R. Hackler, J.V. Lamb, I. Peczak, R. Kennedy, U. Kanbur, A. LaPointe, K. Poeppelmeier, A. Sadow, M. Delferro, ​“The effect of the macro- and microstructure on catalytic hydrogenolysis of polyolefins” Macromolecules, 55, 15, 6801 (2022).
• J.V. Lamb, J.‑C. Buffet, Z.R. Turner, T. Khamnaen, D. O’Hare, ​“Metallocene polyethylene wax synthesis,” Macromolecules, 53, 14, 5847 (2020).
• J.V. Lamb, J.-C. Buffet, Z.R. Turner, D. O’Hare, ​“Ethylene polymerization using zirconocenes supported on pentafluorophenyl-modified solid polymethylaluminoxane,” Macromolecules, 53, 3, 929 (2020).
• J.V. Lamb, J.C. Abell, J.E. McLaren, J.-C. Buffet, Z.R. Turner, D. O’Hare, ​“Slurry-phase ethylene polymerisation using group 4 ansa-bridged permethylindenyl complexes supported on polymethylaluminoxane,” Mol. Catal., 484, 110735 (2020).
• P. Angpanitcharoen, J.V. Lamb, Z.R. Turner, J.-C. Buffet, D. O’Hare, ​“Synthesis, characterisation and ethylene polymerisation performance of silyl bridged peralkylated bis(indenyl) zirconocenes,” Mol.  Catal., 498, 111275 (2020).
• J.V. Lamb, J.-C. Buffet, Z.R. Turner, D. O’Hare, ​“Group 4 permethylindenyl complexes for slurry‑phase polymerisation of ethylene,” Polym. Chem., 10, 1386 (2019).
• J.V. Lamb, J.-C. Buffet, J.E. Matley, C.M.R. Wright, Z.R. Turner, D. O’Hare, ​“Group 4 permethylindenyl complexes for the polymerisation of L-, D- and rac-lactide monomers,” Dalton Trans., 48, 2510 (2019).

Patents

• D. O’Hare, J.-C. Buffet, J. Lamb, T. Khamnaen, M. Charernsuk, T. Parawan, S. Charoenchaidet, ​“Unsymmetrical metallocene catalysts and uses thereof,” PCT Int. Appl., WO 2017/194943 A1.