Brian McFarland, associate professor of chemistry, recently gave a presentation on research conducted with students at the 2015 Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in St. Joseph, Mo.

Brian McFarland	Lynsay Haverland	Brendan Pinto

Brian McFarland, associate professor of chemistry at Morningside College, recently gave a presentation on research conducted with students at the 2015 Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in St. Joseph, Mo.

The presentation discussed the stability of microcapsules and their ability to hold specific materials.

“This could be very useful in applications such as construction, formulation of self-healing plastics, and for polymer repair in limited gravity environments such as the International Space Station.” McFarland said.

He conducted the research with students Lynsay Haverland of Dubuque, Iowa, and Brendan Pinto of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. They both graduated in May.

McFarland joined the Morningside faculty in 2013. His research has explored how to improve plastics, and how eating certain foods can affect cognitive function. McFarland has a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.