When Kristi Kiick was an As she was completing her undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Delaware, Kiick took the necessary courses to become a high-school chemistry teacher, and was going to proceed with that career after obtaining a graduate degree in chemistry. However, after completing her graduate degree, jobs in industry were a more natural step, and Kiick became interested in conducting research in materials. In materials research, scientists combine chemistry and engineering to design products ranging from diapers to artificial organs to electronic paper. Kiick went on to pursue her doctoral degree in the field, with an eye on educating at the college level, and today she is an associate professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Delaware, where every day she is able to combine her love of science and teaching. If Kiick is not in the classroom instructing students or advising them on a one-on-one basis, you’ll find her directing experiments, interpreting results, and collaborating with other scientists in the quest for new scientific discoveries. |