Dianne S. Wiley

Dianne S. Wiley is an American chemical engineer and materials scientist recognized for her pioneering work at the intersection of polymer science, nanotechnology, and biomaterials. Her research has significantly advanced the design of functional polymeric materials for applications in energy storage, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. She has held prominent academic and research positions at the University of California, Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, contributing to both fundamental science and technological innovation.

Early life and education

Dianne S. Wiley completed her undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at the University of California, Davis, where she developed a foundational interest in materials synthesis. She subsequently pursued her doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of prominent researchers in the field of polymer chemistry. Her graduate work, supported by a National Science Foundation fellowship, focused on the self-assembly of block copolymers, laying the groundwork for her future contributions to nanostructured materials. This period of advanced study at UC Berkeley solidified her expertise in manipulating molecular architecture to control material properties.

Career

Following her PhD, Wiley began her independent career as a faculty member within the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds a joint appointment as a senior scientist at the Molecular Foundry, a Department of Energy user facility located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In these roles, she has led a multidisciplinary research group that collaborates extensively with scientists from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Her leadership extends to serving on advisory boards for major research initiatives funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

Research and contributions

Wiley's research program is distinguished by its innovative approach to creating precisely engineered soft matter. A major contribution involves the development of stimuli-responsive polymers that change their structure in response to specific triggers like pH or temperature, which are crucial for controlled release in biomedical engineering. Her team has made significant strides in designing nanoparticle systems for targeted cancer therapy, work often published in high-impact journals like *Science* and *Nature Materials*. Furthermore, she has pioneered the use of directed self-assembly to fabricate novel porous materials for high-efficiency batteries and catalysis, bridging gaps between fundamental research and applications in renewable energy.

Awards and honors

In recognition of her scientific achievements, Dianne S. Wiley has received numerous prestigious awards. She is a elected Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and a recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Her contributions to education and research have been honored with the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award and the ACS Award in Applied Polymer Science from the American Chemical Society. She has also delivered invited plenary lectures at major international conferences, including the Materials Research Society Fall Meeting and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting.

Personal life

Outside of her professional endeavors, Wiley is an advocate for increasing diversity in the STEM fields and frequently participates in outreach programs with organizations like Expand Your Horizons. She is also a dedicated mentor to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in her laboratory. In her private time, she is an avid supporter of the San Francisco Symphony and enjoys hiking in the Berkeley Hills.

Category:American chemical engineers Category:University of California, Berkeley faculty Category:Living people