Profile membranes across their lifecycle (pristine, cycled, depolymerized, regenerated) by NMR, LC-MS, FTIR, thermal and mechanical analysis, and scattering or porosimetry; identify the chemical signatures, such as impurity accumulation and network damage, that link operating history to recovery outcomes. Working on a DOE-funded project with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the selected researcher will design and synthesize novel polymer membranes, study their ion transport and stability, and develop methods to recover and regenerate membrane materials at the end of their useful lives.