Dr. Karen Lozano

Karen Lozano, PhD is the Julia Beecherl Endowed Mechanical Engineering Professor at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Director of the UTRGV Nanotechnology Center. She is the recipient of several honors such as the US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), TEDx Speaker, and Engineer of the Year by Great Minds in STEM. Lozano’s team has published >160 peer reviewed scientific journal articles (most of these coauthored by UG students) and >400 proceedings/conference presentations. She is a prolific inventor and co-founded a successful company which received several awards such as the R&D 100. Her technology coined Forcespinning® is leading industrial production of nanofibers. She outreaches to thousands of K-16 students through summer camps, magic/science shows, and social media, all with one goal in mind: preparing future innovators. Dr. Lozano earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Monterrey and her MS and PhD from Rice University.