Raman wins MRS postdoc award

MRS Bulletin has named MechSE alumna Ritu Raman (MSME ’13, PhDME ’16), currently a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as the 2020 recipient of the MRS Bulletin Postdoctoral Publication Prize. This award recognizes postdoctoral researchers for their intellectual merit, the impact of their research and scholarship, and their interest in science writing and communication. Raman was selected from 94 well-qualified applicants and nominations for “her diverse research experience, outstanding academic achievements, high quality of scientific publications, extensive outreach efforts, and dedication to mentorship and professional service.” According to Gopal Rao, MRS Bulletin Chief Editor for Technical Content, “MRS Bulletin is proud to have Ritu Raman as the 2020 recipient of the postdoctoral prize.”

Raman currently works as a postdoctoral fellow at MIT in the research group of Robert Langer. She is a NASEM Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow (2019–2020) and a Koch Institute Postdoctoral Fellow (2019–2020). She was also the AAAS L’Oréal USA for Women in Science Fellow (2018–2019). Raman earned her PhD degree in mechanical engineering in 2016 from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and her BS degree in mechanical engineering in 2012 from Cornell University.

“As a biohybrid engineer, my scientific goal is to understand how we can build with living and nonliving materials in synchrony and to build adaptive medical implants that dynamically sense and respond to the human body,” said Raman. “I envision a world where biological building blocks, like living cells, are part of the toolbox of every materials scientist, but this requires engaging and accessible science communication. I am so grateful to the MRS Bulletin Postdoctoral Publication Prize for giving me a platform to share the beautiful and complex world of biohybrid design with the broader materials community.”

Story courtesy of Newswise, Warrendale, PA.