The UCSB Materials Department congratulates alumna Natasha Vermaak, Ph.D. (’10), on receiving the 2026 Acta Materialia Mary Fortune Award, which recognizes global leadership, technical excellence, outreach, and mentoring in the field of materials science and engineering.

Vermaak is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Mechanics at Lehigh University, where her research focuses on the mechanics and design of advanced materials systems, including applications in extreme environments.

The Mary Fortune Award highlights individuals who have made significant contributions to materials science while also advancing diversity, mentorship, and community engagement within the field.

Vermaak earned her Ph.D. from UCSB in 2010 (under Tony Evans and Frank Zok), where she developed thermostructural design tools for advanced materials systems, and went on to complete postdoctoral research in France before joining the faculty at Lehigh University.