UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 2025 David Ford McFarland Award Lecture for Achievement in Metallurgy will be held at 3:05 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on Penn State's University Park campus. Rose Hernandez, science program director at the International Space Station National Laboratory, will deliver the lecture, “From Earth to Space: Advancing Materials Technologies and Embracing Life's Mission.”
Hernandez’s lecture will delve into examples from her career on the commercialization of new material technologies and their profound economic impact across various industries.
“Researchers are looking 261 miles up at the International Space Station National Laboratory to create new and unique materials,” said Hernandez. “For example, advancements in microelectronics are being investigated in the absence of Earth's gravitational forces, allowing for improved crystallization, leading to higher-quality semiconductor crystals with fewer defects. Similarly, advancements in biomaterials are pushing the boundaries of regenerative medicine, allowing scientists to study cell mechanisms that are otherwise undetectable under normal gravity conditions.”
In her current role, Hernandez is responsible for championing research and development programs for a diverse research portfolio of applied science for advanced materials and the manufacture of products in space to benefit life on Earth.
Hernandez began her career as a research scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 1997. She worked in a variety of laboratory divisions and projects including analytical chemistry, biotechnology, and surface and microanalysis science. In 2005, Hernandez pivoted to the private sector in research and development, where she developed and advanced the commercialization of new technologies and products for chemical, over-the-counter pharmaceutical, consumer products and cosmetic industries.
Hernandez credits her personal and professional growth and success to STEM initiatives and its supporters. She will forever be an advocate for STEM. As a dedicated mother of two daughters, she is passionately committed to fighting for equity and inclusion. Recognizing the unique challenges women face in today's world, her goal is to create a future workplace where her daughters can thrive based on their contributions, free from any biases.
Hernandez has bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico and a doctorate in materials sciences and engineering from Penn State.
The David Ford McFarland Award for Achievement in Metallurgy was established in 1948 by the Penn State Chapter of the American Society for Metals (now ASM International) to honor graduates of Penn State who have honorably distinguished themselves in some field of metallurgy. The award was named in honor of David Ford McFarland, former professor and head of the Department of Metallurgy.