Lisa Pruitt: From orthopedic biomaterials to mentoring future leaders

Lisa Pruitt is a professor of mechanical engineering and of bioengineering at Berkeley, as well as an adjunct professor of orthopedic surgery at UCSF. In her research field of biomaterials, medical devices and failure analysis, she focuses on wear, fatigue and multiaxial loading of orthopedic implants. She’s taught undergraduate and graduate courses in behavior of engineering materials, failure analysis, polymer engineering, medical device design, personal leadership and equine-guided leadership.

As a former associate dean in the College of Engineering, Pruitt is an advocate for outreach, mentoring, leadership and lifelong learning. She is also the recipient of the U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring; American Association of Advancement of Sciences Mentoring Award; UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award and the A. Richard Newton Educator Award. Her research has been recognized with a congressional citation, National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award and her election into the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.

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