Kristala Prather: Advancing energy-efficient biochemistry
Kristala Jones Prather will be the first person to tell you the difference between science and engineering. She’ll also be the first to tell you how important both are to the research process. “Science is about discovery, and engineering is about application,” Prather says. “The beauty of being a scientist and doing discovery work is the freedom and creativity. For engineers, it’s all about how these discoveries can be applied and solve problems in the real world.” She would know: Over the course of her career, she’s been both. While working in bioprocess research and development at Merck, Prather delved into the engineering side of biology and chemistry. “My decision to work in industry before pursuing an academic career was very intentional,” she says. “I wanted to get a sense of what to think about when bringing products to market. How is new technology adopted? Can you improve upon existing processes?” Prather’s early years...