Stephanie Hooker

Backround

I am a materials engineer whose diverse interests have kept me enthusiastic about science for 20+ years. From smart systems to nanotechnology, I am fascinated by how the right material can make virtually anything possible. I've been fortunate to have built space experiments to qualify new materials, helped grow a high-tech startup, and, for the last decade, managed and promoted research in applied materials and chemistry at NIST. My goal as a manager is to help our scientists pursue their passions and achieve great impact for the nation.

Current Areas of Interest

Water

Nearly 1 billion people around the world lack reliable access to clean water. Ensuring an adequate supply of clean water is essential for human health, agriculture, energy production, and manufacturing. NIST is enabling better measures of water quality, cost-effective approaches to treat contaminated water, and reliable infrastructure to deliver water for use.

Alternative Fuels

Successful implementation of alternative fuels is vital to ending our reliance on foreign oil. NIST is providing critical data on fuel chemistry, enabling optimized engine design and reduction of carcinogenic particulate pollutants. NIST is also addressing compatibility issues that affect storage and transport of these fuels, including the effects of biocorrosion.

Data Management for Materials Science

The Materials Genome Initiative aims to cut the time for materials discovery in half through advances in computational science. These computational approaches depend on a wealth of materials data. NIST is developing data management solutions that can catalog and retrieve the large volume of data required, while also validating data quality.

Climate for Innovation

In a time of shrinking research budgets and demand for immediate payoff, research managers often struggle with building the right climate for true innovation. I am excited to learn about how to promote innovation through risk-taking, constructive debate, and support for new ideas.    

Awards and Honors

• NIST Building Tomorrow's Workplace Award, 2005
• Professional Achievement in Ceramic Engineering (PACE) Award (outstanding young ceramic engineer), awarded jointly by the American Ceramic Society and the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers, 1998
• NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, 1997
• NASA Group Achievement Awards - 1997, 1996, 1993
• R&D 100 Award, 1994
• NASA Technology Transfer Award, 1993
• NASA Langley Research Center Summer Scholars Fellowship, 1990, 1988
• NSF Creativity Award, 1988-1990
• F.J. Jervey Alumni Scholarship, Clemson University, 1984-1988