Faculty Spotlight: Alyssa Panitch
This spotlight is part of our 2022 International Women's Day feature.
Describe your personal and professional background and current role in the College of Engineering.
I received a B.A. degree from Smith College in biochemistry and a B.S. degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in chemical engineering. I completed my Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts. After, I did a postdoctoral fellowship at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and the University of Zurich. I started my first faculty position in 1999. In 2013, I was named the Leslie A. Geddes Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. In June 2016, I was appointed as the Edward Teller Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. Currently, I serve as the Executive Associate Dean and the Associate Dean for Academic Personnel and Planning in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Davis. I oversee the merit and promotion process of faculty and academic personnel and faculty hiring for the college in my current position.
What led you to the engineering field?
I had a great advisor in high school who introduced me to engineering and recommended I pursue a career in engineering.
Highlight your current research. What do you love about it, why are you excited and how do you stay motivated?
Our research is focused in the area of regenerative medicine. We target biopolymers called glycosaminoglycans (they are long-chain sugar molecules) to target the cellular environment. We can influence cell behavior by altering the cell's environment to improve healthy tissue healing. We target diseases such as osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis (artery damage), among others. I love the idea that my research can contribute to improving human health.
The 2022 International Women’s Day theme is #BreakTheBias. How do you support gender equity and #BreakTheBias in the engineering field?
I am working hard in faculty hiring to ensure that we increase the number of female faculty at all ranks to make sure young women have role models while in school.