Samanta Receives Packard Fellowship
Devleena Samanta is the first faculty member from the University of Texas at Austin to receive the early-career award in the chemistry category.
Devleena Samanta. Photo credit: University of Texas at Austin.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded Devleena Samanta, an assistant professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin, a prestigious 2024 Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.
Samanta leads a team that combines natural substances like proteins and DNA with synthetic nanostructures to create new materials capable of interacting with living systems in ways previously impossible. The goal is to use these materials to help detect and treat serious diseases like cancer, making it easier to catch these diseases early and improve treatment options.
“On behalf of the chemistry department, I am delighted to applaud Devleena Samanta as a new Packard recipient,” said department chair Jennifer Brodbelt. “This has never happened in the Department of Chemistry, so it is a great honor for our program and a terrific recognition for Devleena's exciting work.”
Each year, the Foundation invites 50 universities to nominate two faculty members for consideration. The Packard Fellowships Advisory Panel, a group of 12 internationally recognized scientists and engineers, evaluates the nominations and recommends Fellows for approval by the Packard Foundation Board of Trustees. In total, 20 new innovative early-career scientists and engineers awarded fellowships will each receive $875,000 over five years.
“These scientists and engineers are the architects of tomorrow, leading innovation with bold ideas and unyielding determination,” said Nancy Lindborg, president and CEO of the Packard Foundation, speaking of the 20 fellows. “Their work today will be the foundation for the breakthroughs of the future, inspiring the next wave of discovery and invention.”
Previous Packard Fellows have achieved significant recognition, including Nobel Prizes in Chemistry, such as Frances Arnold, Jennifer Doudna, Moungi Bawendi and this year’s laureate, David Baker.
Devleena Samanta is the William H. Tonn Endowed Assistant Professor of Chemistry at UT. She is an associate member of the Livestrong Cancer Institutes and a member of the Texas Materials Institute. Devleena is dedicated to educating the next generation of scientists and is committed to creating opportunities for students from underprivileged backgrounds.
Her contributions to research and teaching have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN), the Hanna Gray Finalist Award from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the UT College of Natural Sciences Teaching Excellence Award.
She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University and subsequently pursued postdoctoral training at Northwestern University.
Learn more in this Q&A with Devleena Samanta.
Since 1988, the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering have encouraged visionary work by providing maximum flexibility through unrestricted funds that can be used in any way the Fellows choose, including paying for necessities like child care.
This latitude gives Fellows the opportunity to experiment and lead cutting-edge research which has led to critical advancements that impact our daily lives. From studying endangered species and improving clean energy technology to making connections between DNA and disease and supporting well-rounded health care, the Packard Fellows are contributing to a future where people and nature can flourish.
