From the nylon in our clothing to the PVC in our shoes, polymer materials, or large molecules consisting of many repeating units, are everywhere and have completely transformed our lives in the 20th century, providing clothing, shelter, electronics, and healthcare to humanity. We will introduce polymers and discuss challenges that impact us in the 21st century: how do polymers and plastics impact the sustainability and waste crisis? Then, for the first time ever, we will introduce how polymers connect to state machines, a model of computation in many devices in modern society like vending machines, and how models can be built to address sustainability. As brilliant engineers, we will then have an engaging activity, teaching you how to design reactors that can decompose plastics! This class may have new topics for some, but we will distill it as much as possible and have fun! 😊