Congratulations to Jessica Aldrich, Ph.D. candidate in the Sharma and OrthoBME lab, on receiving the Association for Academic Women’s (AAW) Emerging Scholar Honorable Mention Award!

The AAW committee was deeply impressed by Jessica’s remarkable ability to convey the significance and transformative potential of her dissertation work. Her publications, presentations, and outreach efforts, which went above and beyond the expected standards, were recognized for enhancing the transformative impact of her research. The committee praised Jessica for her academic achievements, her compassion for aiding communities and individuals within them, and her unwavering dedication to helping others overcome challenges.

Jessica’s research focuses on osteoarthritis, the primary cause of disability in the United States, for which there are currently no effective treatments to halt or slow its progression. Her work with MnO2 nanoparticles is particularly noteworthy, as these nanoparticles serve as both a drug delivery system and a therapeutic approach. Jessica’s goal is to leverage MnO2 NPs to decelerate the advancement of osteoarthritis following traumatic knee injuries. She is especially interested in how this treatment could benefit female athletes in high school and college, who face a higher risk of traumatic injuries like ACL tears.