Noteworthy: Little received the 2015 Curtis W. McGraw Research Award from the American Society for Engineering Education, given each year to an outstanding researcher in the fields of engineering who is under age 40. The award comes with a $1,500 honorarium and will be presented during March at the annual meeting of the Engineering Research Council.
Age: 37
Residence: Allison Park
Family: Wife, Heather Little, two sons, Aaron. 9, and Andrew, 6.
Occupation: Chair of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh.
Background: Little studies materials that allow for sustained release of chemicals, such as drugs. The materials are meant to mimic natural cells and tissues, which sometimes go awry in their ability to release various chemicals needed for biological processes. His advances have come in the fields of periodontics, ophthalmics, transplantation and tissue regeneration.
Education: Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, Youngstown State University, 2000; Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2005.
Quote: “That's a very special award. It's kind of a humbling list of people.”
