Dr. Adam E. Smith is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi School of Engineering, earning his B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 2002 and his M.S. in Engineering Science in 2004. He then continued his academic journey at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering.

In 2012, Dr. Smith joined the University of Mississippi’s engineering faculty as an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering. Over the course of his tenure, he has served as the Director of the General Engineering program and Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. He currently serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs for the School of Engineering. He has been recognized by the School of Engineering with the 2016 Faculty Service Award, the 2016 Junior Faculty Research Award, the 2018 Faculty Teaching Award, and the 2020 Outstanding Engineering Faculty Award.

Dr. Smith’s research focuses on designing and synthesizing stimuli-responsive block copolymers via Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization, enabling precise control over molecular weight, composition, and architecture. The work centers on tailoring these polymers to respond to environmental triggers—pH, temperature, or enzyme activity—and self-assemble into stable nanostructures, such as micelles and vesicles, for biomedical applications. By optimizing crosslinking strategies, the team enhances the stability and functionality of these nanocarriers for controlled drug delivery and gene therapy. This targeted release approach, which protects and selectively delivers both small-molecule therapeutics and nucleic acids, has the potential to improve treatment efficacy and minimize off-target effects across a range of diseases, including cancer.