Dawn Bonnell

Bonnell grew up in suburban Detroit.[1] She was the eldest of four children. She deferred applying to college until she had started her own family, but, seven years later, found herself a single mother in need of more education to support her own children.[1] At the time Bonnell lived next door to the University of Michigan, and eventually applied to study there.[1] Bonnell specialized in materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan.[1] Bonnell particularly enjoyed the chemistry aspects of her introductory science courses.[1] She earned her bachelor's degree in 1983 and her PhD under the supervision of Tseng-Ying Tien in 1986.[1] Her doctoral research involved identifying stable phases of silicon nitride systems, with a focus on improving the mechanical properties at high temperature.[2] She spent a year at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research – with her two children – where she worked with Manfred Ruehle on electron microscopy.[1][3] She was a postdoctoral scholar at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center.[4] The research centre was home to the first scanning tunnelling microscope, and Bonnell appreciated the potential of scanning tunnelling microscopy as a means to accelerate our understanding of ceramics.[1]

In 1988 Bonnell joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania.[5] Her research has involved investigations into the structure-property relations of ceramic materials as well as studies into how the surface morphology impacts chemical reactions.[1] Her research group were the first to successfully image oxide surfaces with atomic resolution, which they achieved using scanning probe microscopy.[4] She has also investigated ferroelectric compounds, synthetic proteins and quantum dots.[6] The ability to visualize the atomic structure of surfaces and interfaces, and has applications in catalysis, biosensing and nanofabrication.[4][5][6]

In 2004 Bonnell founded the University of Pennsylvania Nano/Bio Interface Center (NBIC), which supports collaboration between researchers working at the intersection of biology, chemistry and technology.[1] As part of NBIC, Bonnell developed a new nanotechnology program for undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania.[1] NBIC is home to several scanning probe-equipment facilities, and can support research in the life sciences as well as emerging technologies.[7]

Bonnell was made Vice Provost for Research in 2013.[8] She was also elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2013 for the development of atomic-resolution surface probes, and for institutional leadership in nanoscience.

• National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award
• American Ceramic Society Robert B. Sosman Award[9][10]
• American Ceramic Society Ross Coffin Purdy Award[11]
• University of Michigan Distinguished Alumni Award[12]
• American Ceramic Society Distinguished Member[13]
• George H. Heilmeier Award for Excellence in Faculty Research[14]
• Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science[15]
• Elected Fellow of the American Ceramic Society
• Elected to the National Academy of Engineering[16]
• Elected Fellow of the Materials Research Society[6]
• ETH Zürich Staudinger-Durrer Medal[17]

• Imaging mechanism of piezoresponse force microscopy of ferroelectric surfaces (DOI:10.1103/PhysRevB.65.125408)[18]
• Local potential and polarization screening on ferroelectric surfaces (DOI:10.1103/PhysRevB.63.125411)
• Local impedance imaging and spectroscopy of polycrystalline ZnO using contact atomic force microscopy (DOI:10.1063/1.1561168)[19]
• Bonnell, Dawn (2001). Scanning Probe Microscopy and Spectroscopy: Theory, Techniques, and Applications. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-0471248248.
• Bonnell, Dawn (2013). Scanning Probe Microscopy For Energy Research: Materials, Devices And Applications. World Scientific Publishing. ISBN 978-9814434706.