Rachael Floreani

Dr. Rachael Floreani is an Associate Professor at the University of Vermont (UVM) in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, Food Systems, and Materials Science Program. Dr. Floreani earned her BS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2004 and her MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University in 2007 and 2009. After two years of post-doctoral work at the University of Washington, she started her position at UVM in 2011. She has over 20 years of experience in the biomaterials space, with applications in the medical sciences, sustainable materials, and food systems. Dr. Floreani has led interdisciplinary teams at biotech start-ups and in academia. She serves as an advisor to industry partners and female founders around the world. Dr. Floreani has been invited to speak at international conferences, has been interviewed by multiple news outlets, and has served on academic panels related to her research. Her translational research spans the biomedical, materials processing, and cellular agriculture fields, and has culminated in six granted patents, 40+ scientific articles, and an FDA approved implant available on the market. Dr. Floreani collaborates on research and product development across many fields, including tissue engineering, cultivated meat, cell culture media development, anti-cancer therapeutics, drug delivery implants, and wound dressings and tissue sealants. Her other interests include sustainability, biomimicry, and the valorization of agricultural bio-waste. Her mission is focused on generating translatable products that benefit both humankind and the planet.

Dr. Floreani is also committed to community outreach and engineering education. She provides hands on experience in her laboratory to local high school students, and serves as a mentor to female and non-binary K-12 students interested in the STEM fields.