25 Paula Therese Hammond

Paula Therese Hammond

Time period:

1963 – Present

Graduated MIT 1984

Subject:

Chemical engineering

Biography:

Prof. Hammond is an American researcher and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  She grew up and attended highschool in Detroit, Michigan before pursuing a bachelors, masters, and PhD, which she completed in 1993. She is currently the Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT,  and has been awarded multiple honors and awards throughout her career including the environmental Protection Agency Early Career Research Award. She has also been elected to the National Academies of Medicine, Engineering, Sciences, and Inventors. These are just a few of the many awards and honors she has received, in addition to her being the first woman and person of color to be appointed as head of the MIT Chemical Engineering department.

Summary of their contributions:

Her research focus is on chemistry, looking at drug delivery, nanoscale biomaterials, materials assembly, and macromolecular synthesis.

Her notable contributions to science are the advancement of RNA gene expression, “stealth polymers” for treating cancer, and carbon microtubules in fuel and solar cells.

Integration with the BC Secondary Science Curriculum:

Her contributions to polymers are a great connection with BC chemistry 12, where students learn about polymers including the applications of polymers. Her work with fuel cells also connects to the fuel cell section of chemistry 12, however fuel cells can also be brought up in any subject that covers sustainability or energy.

Her work with RNA and cancer is closely related to some of the topics taught in both junior and senior biology, where students learn about some of the causes and treatments for cancer.  Her work on blood-clotting sprays is another BC biology connection, because of  how in-depth BC biology is with the science of blood.

References:

“Engineering Multifunctional Polymeric Materials.” The Hammond Lab, hammondlab.mit.edu/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

“Paula T. Hammond, Phd.” Paula Hammond | Koch Institute, ki.mit.edu/people/faculty/paula-hammond. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

“Paula T. Hammond.” MIT Chemical Engineering, cheme.mit.edu/profile/paula-t-hammond/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

“Paula T. Hammond.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Dec. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_T._Hammond.