Ellen Fisher, vice president for research at the University of New Mexico, has received the John A. Thorton Memorial Award from the AVS, a nonprofit scientific association for scholars and professionals working in materials, interfaces, and processing.
Dr. Fisher received the biennial award for her “exceptional contributions to the advancement of plasma chemistries and plasma-surface interactions in thin film deposition and surface modification.” Her work contributes to a wide range of materials-based applications, including semiconductors, solar cells, biocompatible polymers, and pollution remediation.
Dr. Fisher joined the University of New Mexico administration in 2021 following nearly three decades of service at Colorado State University. There, she was a professor of chemistry and assistant vice president for strategic initiatives. Earlier in her tenure at Colorado State, she had stints as department chair and senior faculty advisor to the vice president for research. She is also the co-founder of the consulting firm Divergent Science.
A graduate of Texas Lutheran University, Dr. Fisher earned her Ph.D. in physical-analytical chemistry from the University of Utah.