Nancy Sottos

Role: Donald B. Willet Professor of Engineering
Partner: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Nancy Sottos is the Donald B. Willet Professor of Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is also a co-chair of the Molecular and Electronic Nanostructures Research Theme at the Beckman Institute.
Nancy started her career at Illinois in 1991 after earning a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware. Her research group studies the mechanics of complex, heterogeneous materials such as self-healing polymers, advanced composites, and thin film microelectronic devices, specializing in micro and nanoscale characterization of deformation and failure in these material systems.
Nancy’s research and teaching awards include:
- The ONR Young Investigator Award (1992)
- Outstanding Engineering Advisor Award (1992, 1998, 1999 and 2002)
- The R.E. Miller award for Excellence in Teaching (1999)
- University Scholar (2002)
- The University of Delaware Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement (2002)
- The Hetényi Award from the Society for Experimental Mechanics (2004)
- Scientific American's SciAm 50 Award (2008)
- Fellow of the Society of Engineering Science Fellow (2007)
- The M.M. Frocht and B.J. Lazan awards from the Society for Experimental Mechanics (2011)
- Fellow, Society for Experimental Mechanics (2012)
- Drucker Eminent Faculty Award, College of Engineering (2014)