For novel mechanics applied to the surfaces of soft, hydrated materials to understand their lubrication behavior

Alison C. Dunn is the Robert and Jill Peterson Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida. Directing the Bio/Materials Tribology Laboratory, her aim is to emulate and exploit surface properties & structures to control sliding interfaces using experiments and theory. She works on soft materials like hydrogels and silicone, as well as insect cuticle and hardened steel. She spent the first 10 years of her faculty career at the University of Illinois (UIUC), where she won the NSF CAREER award in 2018 and the ASME Burt L. Newkirk Award in 2019.