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MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering
MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering
March 10, 2025

Why Materials Science and Engineering Is at the Heart of Solving the World’s Problems

In this interactive lecture, Vanessa Chan from the University of Pennsylvania will explore how materials science and engineering can address the world's challenges through three key approaches: applying materials in new areas, inventing new materials, and fabricating materials in innovative ways.
3:30pm - 4:30pm
2-190

Speaker

Vanessa Chan

  • Vice Dean of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
  • Jonathan & Linda Brassington Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering

About This Talk

Everything around you is made of materials. In this interactive lecture, Professor Vanessa Chan will explore the world of materials science and engineering through three key approaches: applying materials in new areas, inventing new materials, and fabricating materials in innovative ways. She will showcase how materials science has paved the way, drawing on examples from consumer electronics, medical inventions, and sustainable energy. Chan will also dive into the challenges of commercializing technologies, highlighting why it’s not just technical hurdles but also commercialization barriers that must be overcome. She’ll discuss understanding decision-makers in the value chain, regulatory challenges, and unit economics.

About the Speaker

Vanessa Chan is an entrepreneur, angel investor, speaker, and educator renowned for her expertise in commercializing technologies. She serves as the inaugural Vice Dean of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Engineering School and the Jonathan & Linda Brassington Professor of Practice. In 2021, Chan was appointed by President Biden as the Chief Commercialization Officer at the U.S. Department of Energy and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions. In these roles, she played a key part in advancing clean energy technologies nationwide, particularly through the “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff” reports, which outlined strategies for decarbonizing sectors like geothermal and hydrogen. Her contributions earned her a spot on Time100’s 2024 list of the world’s 100 most influential business leaders in climate.

Before joining the Department of Energy, Chan was a partner at McKinsey & Company for 13 years, where she co-led the innovation practice, advising large publicly traded companies on technology commercialization. After McKinsey, she founded re.design, a company focused on reinventing consumer products to address everyday challenges, and sold her products on QVC. Dr. Chan earned her PhD from MIT and a BSE from the University of Pennsylvania, both in materials science and engineering. Outside of her professional work, she is a working parent who runs a pottery studio and enjoys mountain biking, skiing, and traveling the world.

About the Wulff Lecture

The Wulff Lecture is an engaging and accessible presentation designed for a broad audience. Its purpose is to inform, inspire, and motivate MIT undergraduates to explore the study of materials science and engineering. The event extends an invitation to all MIT, with a special emphasis on welcoming first-year students. Learn more