Christine Grant (scientist) facts for kids

Christine Sharon Grant is a brilliant American chemical engineer. She works at North Carolina State University as the Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. Dr. Grant studies how surfaces behave and how we can protect our environment. She was also the President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2022, which is a really important job!

Early Life and Education

Christine Grant was born in upstate New York. She grew up in a home where learning was very important. Her dad taught music, and her mom taught science. This meant Christine often did fun science experiments right in her own home and garden!

Discovering Engineering

When she was younger, Christine joined a special program called PIMEG. This program was at a big company called General Electric. It helped introduce her to exciting careers in technology. This experience showed her how cool engineering could be.

College and Graduate School

Christine went to Brown University for her first degree. She was one of the first students to study chemical engineering there. While at Brown, she was also the President of the Brown University National Society of Black Engineers. After Brown, she continued her studies at Georgia Tech. She earned her PhD in 1989. For her PhD, she studied how to remove water from very tiny mineral particles.

Research and Career

Dr. Grant is a chemical engineer who studies how things stick to surfaces. She also looks at how to clean them off. Her work helps us understand what happens when liquids touch solid surfaces. This helps explain how dirt or other materials build up. It also shows how to remove them.

Solving Real-World Problems

Christine Grant's research helps solve many real-world problems. For example, she has studied how to remove sticky organic materials from glass. She also looked at how to get rid of calcium compounds from stainless steel. Another area of her work is understanding how lubricants stick to parts in computer disk drives. She even found ways to make lubricants last longer in hot conditions.

Becoming a Professor

In 1989, Dr. Grant joined the team at North Carolina State University. She became a professor there. She was one of the first African-American women to become a full professor of chemical engineering. This was a big achievement!

Helping Others in Science

Christine Grant cares a lot about making science fair for everyone. She works hard to help more people from different backgrounds get into chemical engineering. She has been praised for being a great mentor and teacher.

Leading at North Carolina State

In 2008, Dr. Grant became the first Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement and Special Initiatives at North Carolina State University. She still holds this important role today. In this job, she has started many programs to help professors grow in their careers. She also created "Faculty Development Television." This is a program that helps staff learn new skills.

Supporting Future Scientists

Dr. Grant also started an organization called STEM Resilience. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This group helps support people from groups who might not always feel included in these fields. She wants everyone to have a chance to succeed in STEM.

Leadership in Chemical Engineering

Christine Grant has held many important jobs in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). She was the first African-American woman to be named a Fellow of the society. This is a very high honor! She has also led committees and served on the board of directors. In 2021, she was elected president of AIChE.

She also helps lead programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF). These programs help more people get involved in engineering research. They also support research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Christine Grant has received many awards for her amazing work. Here are some of them:

• American Association for the Advancement of Science Mentor Award
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers Pioneers of Diversity Award
• Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Chemical Society Stanley C. Israel Regional Award
• Winifred Burks-Houck Professional Leadership Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers Professional Leadership Award
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers William W. Grimes Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering
• Inducted into Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society
• Council for Chemical Research (CCR) Diversity Award
• Selected to participate in 12th Annual US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
• National Academy of Engineering - CASEE Boeing Senior Fellowship
• National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering (GEM) Distinguished Alumni Academic Award
• NSF Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM)