Shuaihua Gao, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Tulane University, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. “This way, those pathways can guide us to design proteins in a faster, more rational manner,” Gao said. “Imagine you can use proteins to make chemicals for industry, produce pharmaceuticals for health, and degrade harmful chemicals in the environment, such as forever chemicals,” Gao said. The NSF CAREER Award requires a significant educational component, and Gao has structured hers around connecting students at every level to the real science happening in her lab. This award gave us the support to pursue the long-term goals and ideas we have in my lab.”