Dr. Lynnette D. Madsen has served as Program Director, Ceramics at the National Science Foundation (NSF) since 2000. She also heads the Cross-Cutting Activities in Materials Research and has completed three detail assignments at NSF. She has led new co-operative activities with European researchers in materials; been part of the driving force in program development and initiatives in nanotechnology, commercialization, manufacturing, sustainability, education, and diversity; and has an active independent research program. She has published more than 100 articles; been awarded three patents; and delivered more than 100 invited talks.

From 1999-2002, she held a visiting/adjunct faculty position at Carnegie Mellon University. Earlier, she held a faculty position at Linköping University where she was promoted to Docent (Assc. Prof.), and previously she held post-doctoral positions at both Linköping University and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaignand spent a decade working in industry at Nortel Networks. Her qualifications include a B.A.Sc. (Electrical Engineering) and a B.A. (Psychology) from the University of Waterloo, an M.Eng. (Electronics) from Carleton University, and a Ph.D. (Materials Science) from McMaster University.

NSF has recognized her efforts with two Director Awards. She has received a Professional Achievement Alumni Medal from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo and McMaster University’s Alumni Gallery Award. Dr. Madsen is a Fellow of The American Ceramic Society (ACerS), the American Vacuum Society (AVS); American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the Washington Academy of Sciences, and is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Recently her accomplishments have been recognized by the 2018 ASM International – The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Distinguished Lectureship in Materials and Society, 2018 Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) Betty Vetter Award for Research, 2018 ACerS Greaves-Walker Lifetime Service Award, inaugural 2017 Materials Research Society (MRS) Impact Award, and 2017 District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies (DCCEAS) Engineer of the Year Award. She has also received recognitions from TMS, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), AVS, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and MRS. She currently serves as an Advisory Board member for the Rosalind Franklin Society and on ACerS’ Board of Directors; the latter activity is carried out on her personal time. Previously, she served as a panelist for the National Research Council at the National Academies, and as Trustee for AVS.