Welch Foundation highlights impactful Texas A&M faculty member
Highlighted in the 2025 annual report by The Welch Foundation, Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus’ work on redox-active polymers is advancing the future of organic batteries and deepening our understanding of how soft materials store and move charge.
Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus examines a sample in the laboratory with student Tamunoemi Braide.
Research by Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus, chemical engineering professor at Texas A&M University, has been highlighted by The Welch Foundation in their 2025 annual report to showcase her studies in polymers.
Since 2021, her work has been supported by the foundation in a collaborative effort centered on creating more efficient organic batteries and sensors.
“The Welch Foundation has supported my group’s research over the years in understanding the electrochemistry of polymers,” Lutkenhaus said. “They support premier fundamental chemical research from some of the state’s best minds. I am humbled and thrilled to be highlighted among them.”
Based in Houston, the foundation is one of the nation’s largest private funding sources for basic chemical research. They have contributed to the advancement of chemistry through research grants, departmental programs, endowed chairs and other special projects at educational institutions in Texas.
“By supporting investigators like Dr. Lutkenhaus, whose work deepens our basic understanding of chemical principles while training the next generation of scientists in Texas, we aim to strengthen the foundation on which future discoveries and applications are built,” said Adam Kuspa, president of The Welch Foundation.
The Welch Foundation believes that Lutkenhaus’ recent work demonstrates both scientific impact and a sustained commitment to advancing core chemical knowledge.
Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus
While the work emphasizes rigor and integration over flashiness, the combination of productivity, impact and solid experimental strategy made Lutkenahus a strong candidate for both support and visibility, according to the foundation.
“Dr. Lutkenhaus was selected for highlighting this year because her work exemplifies the kind of high-quality, curiosity-driven research that advances fundamental understanding while opening new directions for the field,” said Kristin Roden Atmar, associate director of grant programs.
The specific research focuses on mixed ion-electron conduction in conjugated polymers, with an emphasis on redox-active polymers for low-temperature battery applications.
“Redox polymers are electrochemically active and can store charge, but they aren’t as proficient at it as traditional metal-based batteries,” Lutkenhaus said. “Our group is digging into how charge is stored and transferred in these materials to understand how to address the rate-limiting issues of using soft organic materials.”
Although the desired outcome of chemical research may take a while to form in the general public, the foundation relies on investigators like Lutkenhaus to guide them toward the most important research to pursue.
“We believe that long-term scientific breakthroughs begin with sustained investment in fundamental research,” Kuspa said. “Dr. Lutkenhaus has built a strong, productive research program with clear momentum, combining innovative conjugated polymer design with rigorous, multidisciplinary tools to probe redox behavior at a fundamental level.”
