Monica Olvera de la Cruz Named Lawyer Taylor Professor

She has developed theoretical models to determine the dynamics of macromolecules

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Monica Olvera de la Cruz, professor of materials science and engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern, has been named a Lawyer Taylor Professor.

Olvera de la Cruz also holds joint courtesy appointments in chemistry and biological engineering and chemistry at Northwestern. She has developed theoretical models to determine the thermodynamics, statistics and dynamics of macromolecules in complex environments including multicomponent solutions of heterogeneous synthetic and biological molecules. She has authored and coauthored more than 100 articles in the top publications of her field.

She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors such as the 2007 Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the David and Lucile Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering and the 1990-95 Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is a fellow of the American Physical Society and vice-chair of the National Research Council (NRC) NAS Solid State Science Committee and serves on the NRC NAS Board of Physics and Astronomy. Throughout her career, Olvera de la Cruz has served on many committees including the NRC NAS Committee on Forefronts of Science at the Interface of Physical and Life Sciences and the NSF Mathematical Physical Science Directorate Advisory Committee.

She joined the Northwestern faculty in 1986.