Hannah Zierden Named Amongst AIChE’s Class of 35 Under 35

Hannah Zierden standing before the A. James Clark Hall.

Hannah Zierden, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been named amongst the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Class of 35 Under 35.

Offered on a three-year cycle since 2017, the award recognizes 35 outstanding members aged 35 or younger, who have made significant contributions to the field of chemical engineering and to the AIChE community. From academia to industry, this award highlights those who have shined in their career and have made impactful changes to their university, company, or institution. The program aims to celebrate excellence and amplify early-career work, placing recipients among a distinguished cohort of professionals who are shaping the future of the profession.

“I’m proud to be named as part of this year’s class of AIChE’s 35 Under 35. Being part of the AIChE community has meant a lot to me over the past decade, from interacting with leaders in the field as a graduate student, to building my network as a junior faculty member, and engaging with the Women In Chemical Engineering Community. I’m grateful for the friends and colleagues I’ve gained as part of AIChE, and am honored that my work and engagement is being recognized this year.”

AIChE’s newest class of 35 Under 35 Award winners will be celebrated at the 2026 AIChE Annual Meeting held in Minneapolis from November 8–12, 2026. With over 70 nominations, Zierden was named as one of the five winners in the bioengineering category.

At the A. James Clark School of Engineering, Zierden leads a research project focusing on studying biological processes associated with the mucosal barrier in the human body—key to the development of specialized formulations that improve the efficacy of treatments with minimal side effects. Funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) $2 million grant, the project aims to advance fundamental science that will drive targeted nanomedicine for a wide range of human health indications.

A year ago, Zierden was also awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award. Her project integrates research and education to advance knowledge of the female reproductive tract, an area of focus for her research group. She investigates the vaginal microbiome, a home for living bacteria in the female reproductive system, which plays a key role in female reproductive health. She and her team hope that their fundamental understanding will lead to new treatments for women’s health.

Zierden, who joined the department in 2022, became the second in the department to win the recognition after Associate Professor Po-Yen Chen.

Published November 5, 2026