Mihaela Stefan

Mihaela Stefan is a Professor and former Department Head of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas, with additional appointments in Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering. She was previously a Eugene McDermott Distinguished Professor and has held visiting positions at Carnegie Mellon University.

• Educational Background
  • Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering
  • Master’s and Doctorate in Chemistry from Politechnica University, Bucharest

Her research focuses on synthesizing and characterizing organic and polymeric materials for drug delivery, tissue engineering, solar cell technology, and organic electronics. Notable projects include polymeric micelles for controlled doxorubicin delivery, banana-shaped organic semiconductors for thin-film transistors, and nanoparticle-based root canal treatments.

Stefan’s work is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Welch Foundation. She has received multiple teaching and mentoring honors, emphasizing inclusive education and undergraduate research engagement.

• Scientific Awards
  • NSF CAREER award (2010)
  • Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring (2015)
  • President’s Teaching Excellence Award
  • Inclusive Teaching Diversity Award
  • Outstanding Teacher Award (School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, twice)