Originally from the Appalachian Mountains in the United States, Ethan earned a BSc in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from North Carolina State University. After graduating he worked as a research assistant in Dr Nathan Crook’s lab, gaining a keen interest in the emerging field of plastic biodegradation culminating in the publication of a  comprehensive review on known plastic metabolisms. His current research in the Wallace lab focuses on converting PET waste to various pharmaceuticals.