Bio
Karen Cortes Guzman is a Research and Development Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and a University of Tennessee–Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT-ORII) Fellow within the Advanced Manufacturing for Affordable Building Construction Convergent Research Initiative.
Her research centers on developing advanced polymeric materials for building technologies, including structural adhesives, adaptive sealants, insulation systems, flame-retardant materials, and multifunctional coatings. By integrating chemistry, sustainable feedstocks, and advanced manufacturing, she develops materials that accelerate construction while improving durability, safety, and energy performance. Her work spans molecular design, materials characterization, and technology scale-up in close collaboration with industry and federal partners.
Prior to her current appointment, Karen served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at ORNL after earning her Ph.D. in Chemistry from The University of Texas at Dallas. During her doctoral research, she developed sustainable polymer resins for vat photopolymerization 3D printing, with emphasis on recyclable thermosets and high-performance materials. She has contributed to various multidisciplinary research programs, invention disclosures, patent applications, and technology transfer efforts, with expertise in chemical synthesis, additive manufacturing, and structure–property relationships-based formulation of functional materials.
Professional Experience
- 2026-Present: Research and Development Associate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
- 2023–2026: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Oak Ridge, TN
- 2019-2023: The University of Texas at Dallas, Research Assistant, Dallas, TX
- 2016-2018: Autonomous University of Morelos, Research Assistant, Morelos, Mexico
- 2014-2019: Instrumor Laboratory supplies and reagents, Sales Representative
Awards
- 2022 54th ACS Meeting in Miniature Best Presentation 1st place Award
- 2022 NSM Mei Lein Fellowship
- 2019 - 2023, CONACyT/CONTEX Doctoral Fellowship
- 2018 Education USA Opportunity Fund Award
- 2016 - 2018 BANAMEX Students of Excellence Award
Education
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA - 2023
- BS in Industrial Chemistry, Autonomous University of Morelos, Mexico - 2018
Trademarks and Patents
- Hun, D., Saito, T., Demchuk, Z., Cortes-Guzman, K.P., Shrestha, S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. US20240360288A1. Plant-Sourced Insulation Foam. Filed April 25th, 2024.
- Aldykiewicz, A., Hun, D., Saito, T., Demchuk, Z., Tang, M., Cortes-Guzman, K.P., Biobased Flame Retardants Provisional Patent Application No. 63/708,888.
Cortes-Guzman, K.P., Hun, D., Saito, T., Demchuk, Z., Force-triggered biobased sealants for prefab construction. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/863,689;
Invention disclosures:
- Hun, D., Saito, T., Demchuk, Z. Cortes-Guzman, K.P., Sumathipala, K., Bio renewable non-toxic adhesives for CLT (ID 202505922)