From Navy to Neuroscience: Kristin Bennett’s Research Path

From Navy Service to Neuroscience: Kristin Bennett’s Path to Brain Injury Research

Former U.S. Navy nuclear chemist Kristin Bennett has transformed her career of service into cutting-edge neuroscience research. After experiencing ministrokes and autoimmune disorders linked to exposures during her military career, Bennett redirected her expertise to one of medicine’s most urgent challenges: traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Now a chemical engineering graduate student at the University of Washington, Bennett is conducting research in the Nance Lab, where she developed the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) model to simulate brain injury in living tissue. Her personal experiences as a veteran inform both her scientific work and her leadership in advocating for accessibility and inclusion in STEM education.

The Nance Lab, directed by Elizabeth Nance, Ph.D., Chair of UW’s Department of Chemical Engineering and an IDDRC Research Affiliate at the UW IHDD, is internationally recognized for its nanoparticle technology and innovative brain modeling approaches. Through mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and philanthropic support, Nance and Bennett are advancing understanding of TBI while creating opportunities for students to explore high-impact research.

To learn more, read the full article in UW Magazine.