Erha Andini

About Erha Andini

I\'m a chemical engineer PhD, scientist, and science communicator passionate about turning big ideas from the lab into something that actually matters.During my PhD at the University of Delaware, I worked on one of the toughest challenges in materials sustainability: recycling complex textile waste. My research explores how chemistry and catalysis can transform waste into valuable chemical building blocks and move us closer to systems where materials don\'t just get thrown away.This journey has led to some exciting milestones: my research has been published in Science Advances and featured in The Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, World Economic Forum, Nature, C & EN, NPR, and Vogue Business to name a few.Today, I work closely with researchers and innovators through the NSF I-Corps and Horn Entrepreneurship ecosystem, helping teams figure out how their science can become a business, a license, or a product people actually use. What I Do Best· Translate complex scientific research into actionable innovation opportunities· Support researchers and deep-tech teams exploring commercialization pathways· Build bridges between academia, industry, and entrepreneurial ecosystems· Communicate science and innovation to broad audiences ExpertiseChemical recycling | Polymer & textile recycling | Catalysis | Waste valorization | Research commercialization | Deep-tech entrepreneurship | Science communicationOutside of my professional work, I\'m also the creator behind @erhatheexplorer, where I share the highs, lows, and lessons of life in science with curious minds. Think research, nonlinear career paths, and figuring things out along the way.

Experience

1. Program Manager, Nsf I-corps Northeast Hub

   Horn Entrepreneurship Official

   Jan 2026 — Present · Newark, DE, US

Education

• University of Delaware

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

  2020 — 2025

• Penn State University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Chemical Engineering

  2016 — 2019