Ainissa Ramirez

Ainissa G. Ramirez, PhD, received her training in materials science and engineering from Stanford University (PhD) and Brown University (ScB). Her research focuses on the development of thin film NiTi shape memory alloys for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Before joining the faculty at Yale University in 2003, she worked as a member of the technical staff at Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies in Murray Hill, NJ, for 4 years. At Bell Labs, she developed an advanced solder that can bond directly to glass and ceramics, for which MIT awarded her with the Tech Review's TR100, a list of the top 100 young innovators (in 2003). Currently, this technology is commercialized by Adhera Technologies (www.adheratech.com), for which she serves as technical advisor. Dr. Ramirez is also passionate about improving the public's understanding of science and has created a science lecture series for kids called Science Saturdays (www.sciencesaturdays.org).