Research Interests

Characterization of inorganic and elastomeric materials using a variety of magnetic resonance techniques.

Current Positions

Signature Scientific Infrastructure Program Leader

Deputy of WCI Infrastructure for High Explosive Materials and Facilities

Deputy Group Leader for the Materials for Energy and Climate Security Group

Career Path

Acting Director of the Center for National Security Application of Magnetic Resonance

Member of the PLS Infrastructure Committee

Staff Scientist Materials Science Division

Postdoctoral Fellow

Subject Matter Expertise

Nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance microscopy (imaging), materials characterization, silicone elastomers, surface and interface chemistry, structure-function relationships

Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, University of California at Santa Barbara, 2010

B.S. Chemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz, 2002

Colla, Christopher A., Colliard, Ian, Sawvel, April M., Nyman, May, Mason, Harris E., Deblonde, Gauthier J.-P., “Contrasting Trivalent Lanthanide and Actinide Complexation by Polyoxometalates via Solution-State NMR”, Inorganic Chemistry, 62, 1, 6242 (2023).

Colliard, Ian, Lee, Jonathan R.I., Colla, Christopher A., Mason, Harris E., Sawvel, April M., Zavarin, Mavrik, Nyman, May, Deblonde, Gauthier J.-P., “Polyoxometalates as ligands to synthesize, isolate, and characterize compounds of rare isotopes on the microgram scale”, Nature Chemistry, 14, 1357 (2022).

Di Pietro, S.A., Emerson, H.P., Katsenovich, Y.P., Johnson, T.J., Francis, R.M., Mason, H.E., Marple, M.A., Sawvel, A.M., Szecsody, J.E., “Solid Phase Characterization and Transformation of Illite Mineral with Gas-Phase Ammonia Treatment”, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 424, Part C, 127657 (2022).

Sawvel, A.M., Crowhurst, J.C., Mason, H.E., Oakdale, J.S., Ruelas, S., Eshelman, H.V., Maxwell, R.S., “Spectroscopic Signatures of MQ-Resins in Silicone Elastomers”, Macromolecules, 54, 4300 (2021).

Buchsbaum, S.F., Jue, M.L., Sawvel, A.M., Chen, C.T., Meshot, E.R., Park, S.J., Wood, M., Wu, K.J., Bilodeau, C.L., Aydin, F., Pham, T.A., Lau, E.Y., Fornasiero, F., “Fast Permeation of Small Ions in Carbon Nanotubes”, Advanced Science, 8, 2001802 (2021).

Knipe, J.M., Sirrine, J., Sawvel, A.M., Mason, H.E., Lewicki, J.P., Sun, Y.W., Glascoe, E.A., Sharma, H.N., “In Situ Curing Kinetics of Moisture-Reactive Acetoxysiloxane Sealants”, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 50, 17266 (2019).

Sawvel, A.M., Chinn, S.C., Gee, M., Loeb, C.K., Maiti, A., Mason, H.E., Maxwell, R.S., Lewicki, J.P., “Nonideality in Silicone Network Formation via Solvent Swelling and ¹H Double-Quantum NMR”, Macromolecules, 52, 410 (2019).

Sharma, R., Sawvel, A.M., Barton, B., Dong, A., Buonsanti, R., Llordes, A., Schaible, E., Axnanda, S., Liu, Z., Urban, J.J., Nordlund, D., Kisielowski, C., Milliron, D.J., “Modulation of Carrier Type in Nanocrystal-in-Matrix Composites by Interfacial Doping”, Chemistry of Materials, 30, 2544, 2018.

Rosen, E.L., Gilmore, K., Sawvel, A.M., Hammack, A.T., Doris, S.E., Aloni, S., Altoe, V., Nordlund, D., Weng, T.-C., Sokaras, D., Cohen, B.E., Urban, J.J., Ogletree, D.F., Milliron, D.J., Prendergast, D., Helms, B.A., “Chemically Directing d-Block Heterometallics to Nanocrystal Surfaces as Molecular Beacons of Surface Structure.”  Chemical Science, 6, 6295 (2015).

Sharma, R., Sawvel, A.M., Barton, B., Dong, A., Buonsanti, R., Llordes, A., Schaible, E., Axnanda, S., Liu, Z., Urban, J.J., Nordlund, D., Kisielowski, C., Milliron, D.J., “Nanocrystal Superlattice Embedded Within an Inorganic Semiconducting Matrix by In-situ Ligand Exchange: Fabrication and Morphology.” Chemistry of Materials, 27, 2755 (2015).

Rosen, E.L., Sawvel, A.M., Milliron, D.J., Helms, B.A., “Influence of Surface Composition on Electronic Transport Through Naked Nanocrystal Networks.”  Chemistry of Materials, 26, 2214 (2014).

Rosen, E.L., Buonsanti, R., Llordes, A., Sawvel, A.M., Milliron, D.J., Helms, B.A., “Exceptionally Mild Reactive Stripping of Native Ligands from Nanocrystal Surfaces using Meerwein’s Salt.” Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 51, 684 (2012).

Baker, S.E., Sawvel, A.M., Fan, J., Shi, Q., Stucky, G.D., “Blood Clot Initiation by Mesocellular Foams:  Dependence on Pore Size Variation and Enzyme Immobilization.” Langmuir, 24, 14254, (2008).

Baker, S.E., Sawvel, A.M., Zheng, N., Stucky, G.D., “Controlling Bioprocesses with Inorganic Surfaces: Layered Clay Hemostatic Agents.”  Chemistry of Materials, 19, 4390 (2007).

Sawvel, A.M., Chinn, S.C., Bourcier, W.L., Maxwell, R.S., “Local Structure of Amorphous (PbO)_x[(B₂O₃)_1-z(Al₂O₃)_z]_y(SiO₂)_y Dielectric Materials by Multinuclear Solid State NMR.” Chemistry of Materials 17, 1493 (2005).

For a full list, see: Google Scholar | ResearchGate | Scopus | ORCID

Patents

Sarah Baker, April Sawvel, Galen D. Stucky, “Hemostatic Compositions and Methods of Use” US 9,302,025 B2 (2016).

Galen D. Stucky, Todd A. Ostomel, Qihui Shi, April Sawvel, Sarah Baker, “Oxides for Wound Healing and Body Repair” US 9,326,995 (2016).

Galen Stucky, Sarah Baker, April Sawvel, “Mesocellular Oxide Foams as Hemostatic Compositions and Methods of Use” US 8,603,543 B2 (2013).

PLS Directorate Awards (2 Winter FY22, 1 Winter FY21)

The Fletcher Jones Graduate Research Fellowship at UCSB (2009-2010)

UCSB Graduate Division Dean’s Research Fellowship (2008-2009)

UCSC Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Chemistry (2002)

UCSC Dean’s Award for Excellence in Chemistry (2002)