Kalpana Katti, NDSU University Distinguished Professor of civil and environmental engineering, was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Kalpana Katti, University Distinguished Professor of civil and environmental engineering, will be recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
Katti is among the 471 scientists, engineers and innovators who have been elected 2024 Fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers.
“We are incredibly proud of our University Distinguished Professor, Dr. Kalpana Katti, for earning the prestigious distinction of AAAS Fellow,” said NDSU President David Cook. “This honor not only recognizes Dr. Katti’s groundbreaking contributions to engineering but also underscores the exceptional caliber of our NDSU faculty and their dedication to advancing knowledge and innovation. Our students have the unique opportunity of learning from the very best at NDSU, and this is a source of immense pride for us.”
Katti joined NDSU in 1997 as a post-doctoral researcher, and quickly rose through the faculty ranks to being named a University Distinguished Professor in 2007. Among her many honors are the NDSU Faculty Lectureship, Peltier Award for Innovation, College of Engineering Researcher of the Year, National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Roon Award from the Federation of Societies of Coatings Technology, fellow of the American Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering and fellow of the Engineering Mechanics Institute.
“I was elated to find out I would be in the company of distinguished researchers nationally and internationally,” Katti said. “I am very glad this brings recognition to NDSU and the College of Engineering for research excellence. Research is never done alone or in isolation. This recognition also showcases the excellence of our graduate and undergraduate researchers who have participated in research with my group over several decades. I am very proud of them.”
Katti is being recognized for her distinguished contributions in the field of biomaterials and in particular pioneering the use of engineered nanoclays in tissue engineering for regenerative medicine and in vitro models of cancer metastasis.
She helped pioneer a way to use clay to generate material that closely resembles human bone. That innovation was used as the foundation of the Center for Engineered Cancer Test Beds, which includes some of NDSU’s top researchers. They test new drugs and drug delivery systems and study how the cancer spreads to bone, looking for ways to stop the process or, better yet, wipe out the cancer completely.
"Becoming an AAAS Fellow is among the highest distinctions in the scientific community. This tremendous recognition reflects not only Dr. Katti’s dedication to advancing knowledge in biomimetics, nanotechnology and bone tissue engineering but also the excellence of the faculty and students within the College of Engineering," said Alan Kallmeyer, interim dean, NDSU College of Engineering.
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity. Distinguished past honorees include Ellen Ochoa, Steven Chu, Grace Hopper, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison and Ayanna Howard.
“Congratulations to Dr. Katti on earning the AAAS Fellow distinction. It honors her amazing and pioneering discoveries in engineered nanoclays and how her research has enabled a host of new processes to study cancer metastasis. As an NSF CAREER recipient early in her research career, Dr. Katti’s inclusion as an AAAS Fellow is yet another mark of excellence in her long list of research accomplishments at NDSU,” said Colleen Fitzgerald, NDSU Vice President for Research and Creative Activity.
Katti joins 16 other AAAS Fellows who have been affiliated with NDSU including current faculty members Mukund Sibi, University Distinguished Professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Colleen Fitzgerald, vice president for research and creative activity.
“This year’s class of Fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities,” said Sudip S. Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. “At a time when the future of the scientific enterprise in the U.S. and around the world is uncertain, their work demonstrates the value of sustained investment in science and engineering.”
Katti will receive an official certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin (representing science and engineering, respectively) to commemorate her election. She and the other new fellows will also be featured in the AAAS News and Notes section of Science magazine in March 2025 and at the annual Fellows Forum held in Washington, D.C. in June.
