WOMEN OF THE YEAR 2002: Kay Dee

Kay Dee

Positon: Assistant Professor of biomedical engineering, Tulane University

Age: 32

Family: Single

Education: B.S. chemical engineering, Carnegie Melon University; M.S. biomedical engineering and Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

As an assistant professor

In addition to teaching a full course load of undergraduate and graduate classes, Dee directs the Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory. She also conducts research on finding ways to enable cells and tissues to adapt better to bone and dental implants.

At 32, Dee has garnered an impressive fist of awards and accolades. She helped bring in more than $1.3 million in grants for Tulane University, has a patent for biomedical technology and has published her first book, "An Introduction to Tissue Biomaterial Interactions." But the Michigan native's career is not about credentials, she says, it is about her students.

"When I was in school, not many people both taught and did research. I wanted to do it differently. I felt it was important to integrate both because it provides the best training for upcoming professionals in the biomedical field," says Dee, who is also her department's faculty adviser. "I try to take as many interested students, both in the undergraduate and graduate programs, and give them the opportunity to work in the research lab and drink about problem solving."

This dedication has not gone unnoticed by her students, who named her the biomedical engineering department's Teacher of the Year in 1999 and 2000. Dee also won the General Electric's "Faculty for the Future" Fellowship, the National Science Foundation's Career award (given to the nation's brightest young faculty who are integrating education and research) and the Biomedical Engineering Society's Young Investigator Award.

Dee hopes her continued efforts and hard work will bring more recognition to her field and the city.

"New Orleans has the potential to be a premier training ground for biomedical studies," she says. "We have the personnel and the technology to hopefully one day facilitate some big projects in New Orleans. We just have to make more people aware of this fairly new, yet growing industry."

For now, Dee continues her research and has recently designed a course exploring biomedical themes in selected works of science fiction. She is also working on a Web site for elementary school teachers to help give them ideas and resources for teaching science to kids in kindergarten through fourth grade.