She earned her Doctorate and MPhil from The George Washington University in Physical Chemistry, with a minor in Forensic Chemistry. She earned her Bachelors from the University of California at Santa Barbara in Biology. She has worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Naval Research Laboratory, and did her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle. Her research focuses on cell/surface interactions, bioactive polymers and biocompatibility, and the design of adaptive tools and devices for enhanced mobility. She is also extremely active in engineering and scientific education. Her funding is primarily from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.