Anna C. Balazs, Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, has been named the 2013 Mines Medalist by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The award, established in 2009 and presented for the fifth time, honors engineers and scientists who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation. Dr. Balazs is being honored for work on developing theoretical and computational models to capture the behavior of polymer blends, nanocomposites, complex fluids and colloidal systems. Her research includes studies on making synthetic skin for robots that will allow them to “feel.” She will be presented the award in October at the Mines Medal Dinner and Award Ceremony in Rapid City, South Dakota.
A graduate of Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, Dr. Balazs holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.