Michelle Manuel, University of Florida
Dr. Manuel is recognized for her research in the advanced design of alloys and composites. She uses thermodynamic modeling, advanced processing methods, and state-of-the-art characterization tools in her research; many of the processing and characterization methods used were pioneered by members of the AVS community and are featured in AVS symposia. Areas of particular emphasis in Dr. Manuel’s research include design of specialized alloys, microstructural design of materials for extreme environments and development of materials for biomedical applications. She has been recognized for her research accomplishments through several awards, including the ASM Bradley Stoughton Award for Young Professors in 2013, the NASA Early Career Award in 2012, the NSF CAREER Award in 2009, and the TMS Young Professional Development Award in 2009. A critical component of Dr. Manuel’s research is the engagement of graduate and undergraduate students in advanced research practices, something at which she has been especially successful.
In particular, Dr. Manuel has an exemplary record of guiding the students in her group to achieve their full potential. For example, a recent graduate from her group, Dr. Fatmata Barrie, received a Fulbright Fellowship to carry out research in Indonesia. Several other students have, through her guidance and encouragement, received prestigious graduate fellowships, such as the DOD SMART Fellowship and NSF Graduate Student Fellowships, or received undergraduate student awards, such as first place in the undergraduate student poster competition at the TMS annual meeting. Additionally, Dr. Manuel has encouraged her students to pursue opportunities that broaden their horizons, such as when her doctoral student, Charles Fischer, traveled to Sao Paolo, Brazil, to compete in the Young Person’s World Lecture Competition.
Despite the fact that she is herself still a junior faculty member Dr. Manuel plays an important role in the department mentoring other junior female faculty and students, especially faculty and students who are African-American or from other underrepresented groups. Dr. Manuel has also helped shape departmental practices so that they are more inclusive. Dr. Manuel has consequently had a substantial positive impact on both numerous individuals and on the institution during her relatively short time as a faculty member at the University of Florida.
Dr. Manuel received her B.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. She worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and General Motors Corporation (GM) before joining the faculty in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor in January of 2008.