Dawn Bonnell

Dawn Bonnell received her BA and PhD from the University of Michigan, was a Fulbright scholar at the Max-Planck-Institute in Stuttgart, at IBM Thomas Watson Research Center (1986-1988), then joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania (1988-).  She has >260 publications and 7 edited books.

She received the Presidential Young Investigator Award, Ross Coffin Purdy and Sosman Awards, AVS Nanotechnology Award, and the Staudinger/Durrer Medal.  She is a past president of AVS, served on the board of the American Institute of Physics  is a fellow of Am.Cer.Soc, AAAS, AVS, MRS and member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Bonnell has served as Basic Science Division Program Chair, Executive Committee, Division Chair, Assoc. Editor of the Journal, Sosman Award Committee, and Vice Pres. Program, Meetings, and Expositions.

Her research focuses on the behavior of atoms at surfaces and interfaces.  Her group produced the first atomic resolution SPM images on oxide surfaces, opening a field that impacts catalysis, nanofabrication and film growth. Effects of ferroelectric polarization on molecular interactions on surfaces were elucidated. Her focus on nanometer interfaces extends to transport in biomolecular/inorganic junctions and nanoparticle arrays, including the discovery of plasmon induced hot electrons.  This research also produced new scanning probe techniques that characterize behavior at nm scales.

As founding Director of the Nano/Bio Interface Center, she directed $30M to intersections of nanoscience and biology. As Vice Provost for Research she manages research infrastructure, shapes policy and advances strategic initiatives for Penn’s $1.5B/year research enterprise.