Two Women From American Universities Are Named DuPont Young Professors

DuPont, the large multinational conglomerate based in Wilmington, Delaware, has announced its 2011 class of DuPont Young Professors. Each young professor will receive $75,000 in three annual grants of $25,000.

The program is designed to provide start-up assistance to promising young and untenured research faculty working in areas of interest to DuPont’s long-term business. DuPont’s main areas of business include agriculture and food, building and construction, communications, and transportation.

The Dupont Young Professor Program began in 1967. Since that time 548 scholars from around the world have been awarded more than $48 million in grants.

This year there are 18 new DuPont Young Professors. Six are from foreign countries and 12 are from American universities. Among the 12 award winners from American universities, two are women.

LaShanda Teresa James Korley is the Nord Distinguished Assistant Professor in the department of macromolecular science and engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Her research is focused on bio-mimetic approaches to toughening and mechanical enhancement of polymers.

Dr. Korley is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University. She earned a second bachelor’s degree at Georgia Tech and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at MIT. After conducting postdoctoral reseasrch at Cornell, she joined the faculty at Case Western Reserve in 2007.

Natalia de Leon is an assistant professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She is conducting research on maize breeding and genetics.

Dr. de Leon is a graduate of Argentinean Catholic University. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Wisconsin. She conducted postdoctoral research at Michigan State University and joined the University of Wisconsin faculty in 2006.