Professor Lisa Pruitt currently serves as the Associate Dean for Students in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley. She received her Ph.D. from Brown University and joined the faculty of Mechanical Engineering in 1993. She has authored more than 300 publications in her research field of biomaterials, medical devices and failure analysis. She has received numerous awards and honors. Notably her research has been recognized with a Congressional citation; a National Science Foundation CAREER award; an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award; and her election into the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering.
Professor Pruitt has also been honored for commitment to excellence in mentoring, teaching and outreach. She has received the American Association of Advancement of Sciences Mentoring Award; the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring; the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award as well as the A. Richard Newton Educator Award. Professor Pruitt has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Behavior of Engineering Materials, Failure Analysis, Polymer Engineering, Medical Device Design, Personal Leadership and Equine-guided leadership. Pruitt has authored three books including Mechanics of Biomaterials: Fundamentals for Implant Design; Horse of Fire: The story of an extraordinary and Knowing Horse as told by JJ Luck; as well as Savanna and the Magic Boots.