Dr. Atassi utilizes her understanding of how chemical compatibility and processing affect a material’s performance to solve complex engineering and scientific problems.  She has consulted on various mechanical and chemical failures in thermoplastics (e.g. polyvinylchloride or PVC), thermosets (e.g. crosslinked polyethylene or PEX, elastomers/rubbers) and metal (e.g., brass, steel) components used across industries.

Her doctoral thesis examined thermal transport in dynamic materials and charge transport in polymeric semiconductors that undergo reduction-oxidation reactions. Through this research, Dr. Atassi deepened her knowledge of conventional and novel characterization methodologies to examine commercial plastics, electrochemically active polymers, and semiconductors for various applications, such as energy storage (e.g., capacitors, electrical/thermal batteries) and energy generation (e.g., solar cells, thermoelectrics).

During her Ph.D., Dr. Atassi also worked for one of the largest technology corporations, where she optimized surface chemistry, thin film coatings, and highly pigmented inks for consumer electronics.