NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Aerogels are extremely porous and low in density, but can be made to be very strong with new technology developed at NASA. Here, Mary Ann Meador of NASA's Glenn Research Center demonstrates the strength of new aerogels. Image credit: NASA.

Date: Jan. 24, 2013
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST
Topic: Aerogel: Frozen Smoke
Grades: 9-12
Subjects: Chemistry: polymers, copolymers
Physics: transfer of heat, insulation, electrical conductivity
Career: Chemical Engineer -- Like all engineers, chemical engineers use mathematics, physics and economics to solve technical problems. But chemical engineers apply knowledge of chemistry in addition to other engineering disciplines. Chemical engineers sometimes are called "universal engineers" because their scientific and technical mastery is so broad.

Dr. Mary Ann Meador is a chemical engineer. She won the Research and Development 100 Award, also known as the "Oscar for Inventions," for the development of polyimide aerogel, an ultra-lightweight glass foam with extremely small pores, and for rod-coil block copolymers, a family of polymers that improve ionic conductivity for lithium polymer batteries.

On Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. EST, students asked Meador questions about her research, how things are invented, and the importance of her discovery of polyimide aerogel and rod-coil block copolymers.


More Information
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