I’m a Vietnamese‑American polymer/materials scientist, currently completing my chemistry PhD at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I became a polymer/materials scientist because I want to shape the products and technologies we rely on every day, like the paneling for your car or the film on detergent pods. I enjoy materials science because it can impact how so many people interact with the world every day.
My research skills and interest are primarily in polymer synthesis, soft materials characterization, and technical communication. My favorite part of research has been translating the data generated into clear narratives that help teams, like a federal agency, a corporate partner, or scientific collaborators, make informed decisions about their product and process development.
I look forward to leveraging my technical expertise, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills to support applications development, new product development, or technology transfer/commercialization in polymer, specialty chemicals, food science, or biomaterials industries.
If you’d like to connect, you can reach me at hello@brittanytrinh.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Leadership & Community
I’m committed to building supportive, collaborative scientific communities. I currently serve as the Career Development Chair for graduate students and postdocs in the UW–Madison Department of Chemistry, where I coordinate career programming, mentorship initiatives, and professional development resources.
One of my favorite projects has been founding the Career Support Circle, a biweekly peer‑mentoring space where graduate students exchange advice, share wins, and keep each other accountable as we navigate life after the PhD. I’ve also organized workshops on salary negotiation, applying to primarily undergraduate institutions, and transitioning into industry; facilitated travel grants and mentor awards; and designed custom job‑search resources tailored to the needs of our department.
I also mentor first‑year graduate students and previously led the undergraduate research program, where I worked closely with students and faculty to create meaningful research experiences. I’m also honored to be selected for the 2025 CAS Future Leaders Top 100, an internationally recognized program that identifies early‑career scientists with strong potential for leadership, communication, and impact. This award reflects my commitment to strengthening the scientific community and amplifying the work of others.
Creating Beyond the Lab
Although research is at the center of my professional life, I’ve enjoyed creating professional development resources for scientists, science communicators, and academic entrepreneurs, such as the Website Design Guide and the Beyond Your Science Podcast.
My other hobbies include writing about food and music and playing piano or violin, or digging through a stack of library books. I’m also constantly refining my Vietnamese cooking, one bowl of phở at a time.
Brittany Trinh 
You must be logged in to post a comment.