Kristin Bennett is a Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington, where she develops ex-vivo living tissue models of traumatic brain injury under the guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Nance. Her research integrates chemical engineering principles with neuroscience to understand how physical forces and metabolic stress damage the brain and to support therapeutic development. Alongside this work, Kristin has contributed to studies of mitochondrial dysfunction in hypoxic-ischemia and neurodegenerative disease, advancing understanding of how disrupted energy function drives lasting neurological harm.
Her commitment to this field is rooted in her experience as a nuclear-trained machinist mate and chemist in the United States Navy, where she witnessed and experienced the long-term impacts of invisible injuries.
Kristin is equally dedicated to shaping engineering environments that help everyone succeed. She leads initiatives within the UW Chemical Engineering community focused on disability inclusion and Universal Design for Learning, collaborating closely with faculty and staff who share her commitment to creating environments where everyone can succeed. She is driven to translate innovative brain injury models into real-world impact while championing a more inclusive future for the next generation of engineers and scientists.
She is a current ARCS Scholar, a former Washington Research Foundation Fellow, and a recipient of the American Society for Engineering Education Joseph J. Martin Award for best paper.