Dr. Anita Augustyniak is a materials scientist and STEM educator with close to two decades of experience in R&D, teaching, and managing chemistry laboratories. She earned her PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, where her research focused on creating smart coatings for early detection of corrosion. Her work has been published in leading journals and highlighted by the American Chemical Society. She has presented her research at scientific conferences.

Across industry and academia, Dr. Augustyniak has built a career at the intersection of applied research, laboratory operations, and scientific mentorship. As Lead Scientist and Lab Director at Cyclyx, she led an analytical laboratory supporting innovations in plastic recycling. Her earlier work at Itaconix involved developing home‑care formulations and specialty polymers from bench scale through commercial production, as well as coauthoring US patent and technical documentation.

In parallel with her industry leadership, Dr. Augustyniak has taught undergraduate chemistry labs at Saint Anselm College, designing original laboratory exercises, guiding students through hands‑on experimentation, and fostering strong scientific communication skills. Her dual background in research, operations, and education allows her to support students in designing rigorous experiments, interpreting data, and understanding how scientific ideas move from the classroom to real‑world applications.

She has also served twice as a judge at the UNH Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Symposium Undergraduate Research Conference, supporting the next generation of researchers.

Dr. Augustyniak is passionate about helping young scientists build confidence in the lab, develop strong technical foundations, and pursue ambitious research projects that connect chemistry, materials science, and environmental impact.