Alumni profile: Ellen Gawalt *01

Written by
Wright B. Señeres
April 26, 2024

Ellen Gawalt is the dean of the School of Science and Engineering at Duquesne University, the first woman to hold this position. 

Back when she was choosing a graduate school, she knew it was important to have a vibrant, engaged and supportive environment dedicated to solving scientific problems. When she visited Princeton, she saw faculty walk off to lunch discussing a chemical issue, and students working together. “Not just within a research group, but across research groups,” said Gawalt. “I knew it was a scientific community that I wanted to join.”

She did join that scientific community at Princeton and worked in the lab of Jeffrey Schwartz, professor of chemistry (now emeritus) and associated faculty member in the Princeton Materials Institute. Together they worked on the surface and interface chemistry of medical implants in the human body, and she made a key finding that enabled better use of titanium. Last year, Schwartz, Gawalt, and Michael Alvatroni, another member of Schwartz’s lab, were recognized with a Thomas A. Edison Patent Award for this work. She holds 11 patents, with three more pending. She has mentored more than 50 undergraduate students, five master’s students and 11 doctoral students in her career.

What sparked your interest in materials science?

Initially, I did not have a specific traditional area of chemistry that I was drawn to, and as the faculty presented their work to new students, the presentations on materials I found particularly interesting. This interdisciplinary area would potentially allow me to study in multiple areas of chemistry and apply them to real world problems. In my time at Princeton, I was able to explore surface chemistry of both electronic and biological materials, making my time inspiring. 

How has your Princeton experience shaped your career?

The scientific exploration at Princeton shaped my research lab’s focus on the surface chemistry of materials from polymers to metals to peptide fibrils [thread-like structures of amino acids that may be useful in drug delivery and tissue engineering]. However, the single most important influence from my time at Princeton is my advisor, Jeffrey Schwartz. For me, he was the advisor I needed, helping me to grow as a scientist by challenging me to learn the literature, challenge the status quo, and translate information from one field to the interdisciplinary field of materials. He taught me how to mentor students, teach in the classroom and how to be the best research scientist. 

What are you most proud of in your career?

I am most proud of the students that I have worked with in my lab. Together, we have solved important surface chemistry challenges in biomaterials, drug delivery and surface corrosion, and now they are scientists and faculty members across the country. 

What’s next for you?

I look forward to continuing working alongside the faculty and staff of the School of Science and Engineering to produce scientists and engineers who are rooted in the fundamentals of their field and apply their knowledge to current scientific issues in their communities.