Coffee Hour with Joanna Aizenberg

Please join us for a Coffee Hour with Dr. Joanna Aizenberg, Professor of Materials Science. Dr. Aizenberg received her Bachelors in Chemistry and M.S. in Physical Chemistry from Moscow State University. She pursued graduate studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science, receiving her PhD in 1996. She then came to Harvard where she did a post-doc with Dr. George Whitesides. In 1998 she joined Bell Labs where she made several pioneering contributions including developing new biomimetic approaches for the synthesis of ordered mineral films and discovering unique optical systems formed by organisms that outshine technological analogs. In 2007 she joined SEAS at Harvard. Professor Aizenberg's research is aimed at understanding some of the basic principles of biomineralization and the economy with which biology solves complex problems in the design of functional inorganic materials. She then uses biological principles as guidance in developing new, bio-inspired synthetic routes and nanofabrication strategies that would lead to advanced materials and devices.At the Coffee Hour, Dr. Aizenberg will be open to discuss her career pathway (from Russia to Israel to US), career choices (from industry to academia), issues specific to being a woman in science, work/life balance, or anything else you want to ask (eg, how to write papers while babysitting a 2-year-old grandson).Please RSVP to czgrabik@seas.harvard.edu (Coffee and pastries will be served. Please bring a reusable mug if you have one!)