Joanna Aizenberg (born 1960) is a professor of

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

and

chemical biology Chemical biology is a scientific discipline spanning the fields of chemistry and biology. The discipline involves the application of chemical techniques, analysis, and often small molecules produced through synthetic chemistry, to the study and ma ...

at Harvard University. She is the Amy Smith Berylson Professor of Materials Science at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the co-director of the Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology and a core faculty member of the

Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering (pronounced "veese") is a cross-disciplinary research institute at Harvard University focused on bridging the gap between academia and industry (translational medicine) by drawing inspirat ...

. She is a prominent figure in the field of biologically inspired materials science, having authored 90 publications and holding 25 patents.

Education

Aizenberg received her B.S. degree in chemistry and her

M.S. A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

degree in physical chemistry from Moscow State University in 1981 and 1984 respectively, and her Ph.D. degree in structural biology from the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1996.

Career

She did her postdoctoral research with George Whitesides at Harvard University, investigating micro/nanofabrication and near-field optics. In 1998, she joined Bell Labs as a member of the technical staff where she has made a number of pioneering contributions, including developing new biomimetic approaches for the synthesis of ordered mineral films with highly controlled shapes and orientations, and discovering unique biological optical systems that outperform technological analogs, as well as characterizing the associated organic molecules. In 2007, Aizenberg joined the

Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) is the engineering school within Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, offering degrees in engineering and applied sciences to graduate students admitted ...

. The lab's research investigates a wide range of topics that include biomimetics, self-assembly, adaptive materials, crystal engineering, surface wettability, nanofabrication, biooptics, biomaterials, and biomechanics. In 2019, Aizenberg was elected into the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to the understanding of biological systems and bioinspired materials design.

Awards

* Elected to the National Academy of Engineering, 2019 * Elected to the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

, 2019 *Elected to the American Philosophical Society (2016) *Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2014) *Ronald Breslow Award for the Achievement in Biomimetic Chemistry, ACS 2008 *Industrial Innovation Award, American Chemical Society, 2007 *Outstanding Women Scientists Award, Indiana University, 2006 *Lucent Chairman's Award, 2005 *Pedersen Award Lecture, DuPont, 2005 *ACS PROGRESS Lectureship Award, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 2004 *Distinguished Women Scientists Lectureship, University of Texas at Austin, 2003 *New Investigator Award in Chemistry and Biology of Mineralized Tissues, 2001 *Arthur K. Doolittle Award of the American Chemical Society (ACS), 1999 *Award of the Max-Planck Society in Biology and Materials Science, Germany, 1995

References

External links

Aizenberg Group at HarvardTed Talk - Extreme Biomimetics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aizenberg, Joanna Living people 21st-century American chemists John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences faculty Moscow State University alumni Members of the American Philosophical Society Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences 1960 births Weizmann Institute of Science alumni Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering Fellows of the American Physical Society