With a passion for polymers, Ngoc Nguyen reflects on his career path and the turns that led him to Beckman’s newest core facility, the Illinois Polymer Maker Lab. As he gets situated at the Beckman Institute, Nguyen and his family will continue building their life together amid the vast farmland of central Illinois. And of course, at the heart of it all is a devotion to materials science and engineering that no one else can surpass.

How long have you been at Beckman, and what is your role?

I joined Beckman in the early summer of 2026, after five years working at the Illinois Applied Research Institute within The Grainger College of Engineering. As an engineer and scientist at the Illinois Polymer Maker Lab, I assist in managing and operating this cutting-edge facility, an automated high-throughput system for polymeric materials development. Our facility supports the entire process, from formulation to characterization, serving users on the Illinois campus and across the globe. 

Describe your career path up to this point.

I have a bachelor’s degree in chemical and printing engineering from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. I spent two years working in the printing industry and earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering at HUST. Then I became a lecturer at HUST and spent four years there teaching and doing research before embarking on my Ph.D. studies.

I got my Ph.D. at the University of Delaware, affiliated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology through the NIST Center for Neutron Research. I worked with Professor Michael E. Mackay, my Ph.D. adviser, in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. I also worked under the guidance of Professor Jeffrey Pyun in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arizona.

After my Ph.D., I moved to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow under the guidance and mentorship of Amit K. Naskar in the Materials Science and Technology Division. I was later promoted to staff scientist in ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division. Then I returned to Vietnam and worked as a tenured assistant professor at HUST for two years before joining ARI.

What do you like best about living in the Champaign-Urbana area?

I really enjoy living in the Champaign-Urbana area. Everything is so close, and Chicago is only a few hours away. It is a wonderful place for my children to study, for my family to live, and for me to work at the University of Illinois. We all love the community. The weather can be pleasantly warm at noon and refreshingly cool in the evening. I especially enjoy the peaceful, open landscape surrounded by many corn and soybean fields.

What is your favorite journey?

My career path is my favorite journey, where I have worked across numerous environments, including industry, academia and national labs. I have worked with many great engineers, scientists, researchers and students in various areas. This has allowed me to bring a unique perspective to my work.

What is your current state of mind?

I am sitting in my office at Beckman, looking out the window at the trees swaying in the breeze on a sunny day. I am excited to continue my journey with IPML and contribute to its growth and success as we leverage autonomous systems to advance materials development and processing. I feel fortunate to work alongside such outstanding colleagues and students, as well as world-leading scientists at Beckman and the University of Illinois.