Dear Friends,

We invite you to join us in remembering Irem (Kosif) Bolukbasi (1984-2019) in a symposium celebration to honor her life and contributions to the polymer field. Originally from Turkey, Irem first visited the Polymer Science & Engineering (PSE) Department at UMass Amherst as an undergraduate researcher in 2007. She obtained both her Bachelor’s degree (2007) and Master’s degree (2009) in chemistry from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey. In 2009, Irem was accepted into the UMass Amherst PSE Ph.D. program and successfully defended her thesis in 2015. Irem was a terrific researcher, with notable contributions to catalyst design and polymerizations, and nine publications on polymer synthesis, polymer nanocomposites, and functional particles localized to fluid-fluid interfaces.

While at UMass, Irem touched many hearts and minds through her kindness, laughter, and friendship. She brought out the best in everyone around her and was as exemplary collaborator. After completing her Ph.D. in Todd Emrick’s group, she and her husband Engin moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where she worked at 3M as a Sr. Product Development Engineer. One of her products (Scotch-BriteTM Glass Cooktop Pads and Wand) was commercialized in 2019, and it brought her so much joy to know she contributed to a meaningful commercial product useful in millions of households. Irem is an inventor and/or co-inventor of 8 US Patents, and their Foreign Equivalents (all filled by 3M Company). Foreign equivalents simultaneously filed in 10+ countries and jurisdictions. 

Irem endured several surgeries and treatments for cancer during graduate school and while at 3M, and sadly passed away in December 2019, leaving behind her husband, and many family members and friends. Her kindness, friendship, laughter, cleverness, courage, faith, and joy filled every room and overflowed into the hearts of everyone around her in a way that continues to make us all better friends, scientists, and people.  

To remember Irem and continue her legacy, we invite you to join us in building the Irem Bolukbasi Memorial Symposium and Scholarship Fund. These funds will be used for:

·       A symposium in Irem’s honor to be held on June 14, 2024, in Amherst, MA. Together, we will celebrate Irem’s life and legacy with a scientific symposium, including invited lectures, a poster session, and career panel.

·       Summer undergraduate research scholarships: Since a summer research experience brought Irem to UMass PSE, we envisage providing a future generation of undergraduates with an opportunity to visit UMass PSE for summer research with support for their stipend, travel, and housing. We hope to kick this off in 2024 with the support of one student; going forward, we aspire to support a visitor each summer and, with sufficient funding, during the academic year. 

·       Graduate student award: One of Irem’s most profound legacies emanates from her persona as she brought kindness, joy, and creativity to her daily interpersonal interactions. Thus, our vision is to recognize a PSE graduate student each year who reflects Irem’s qualities, and is proving to be an outstanding classmate, collaborator, and colleague among PSE students. 

For an opportunity to contribute to Irem’s Memorial Scholarship Fund, please visit the fund website. All contributions are appreciated and would go a long way towards establishing Irem’s legacy. If interested in a gift at a level that would sponsor a summer student and would like more information, please contact TPF Donor Relations Lead, Pinar Ozyurek at pinar@tpfund.org 

Thank you for helping us to celebrate and remember our dear friend, Irem.  

Sincerely,

Engin Bolukbasi

Husband

Todd Emrick

Professor, Polymer Science & Engineering

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Ph.D. advisor

Maria (Chiappelli) Pastor

Friend and classmate, UMass Alumna

Betsy Mott-Solom

Friend and co-worker

Rachel Letteri

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering

University of Virginia

Friend and labmate, UMass Alumna

Megan Szyndler

Friend and labmate, UMass Alumna  

9:00  Opening remarks and reflections on Irem’s Ph.D. research.

   Todd Emrick, Professor, UMass Amherst

9:30  Title: TBA

   Dr. Belma Erdogan Haug, Henkel, Inc.

9:55   Advancing Lubricants Development Towards Sustainable Transportation

   Dr. Xiaobo Shen, Infineum, Inc.

10:20  Coffee Break

10:40  Injectable Self-assembled Hydrogel Platform Enhances Influenza Vaccine Efficiency

    Olivia Saouaf, Ph.D. Candidate, Stanford University

11:05  The 6 C’s of Innovation in the Age of AI

           Dr. Sedat Gunes, Accenture

11:30  Title: TBA

    Anna Balazs, Professor, University of Pittsburgh

12:00 Lunch and career panel

1:15 The Bright Mind, Spirit & Legacy of İrem Bölükbaşı: A 3M Innovation Story.  Dr. Eser Ozdeger, 3M

1:40 Microscopic Art

    Alex Ribbe, Professor, UMass Amherst

2:05 Polymer-Peptide Materials and Reflections on Irem’s Legacy

        Rachel Letteri, Professor, University of Virgina

2:30 Group photo & poster setup

3:15-4:45  Poster session for student and postdoc presentations

5:00-7:00  Reception

By air: Bradley (BDL) is approximately 50 mins from Amherst or Boston (BOS) is approximately 2 hours from Amherst.

Accommodations: UMass Campus Center Hotel, and others to be announced