She received her BS Textile Engineering from Georgia Tech and her PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Polymer Science & Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At Georgia Tech, she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the mechanics of textile structures and polymer science areas. Dr. Realff has made a significant contribution to the understanding of the mechanical behavior of woven fabrics. She is continuing her work in modeling the mechanical behavior of textile structures utilizing both theoretical and experimental approaches. She currently conducts research on the analysis and design of fibers containing carbon nanotubes.