Nandika D'Souza: Plastics makes perfect

		Nandika D'Souza, associate professor of materials science and engineering, achieved the dream her mother had for her — to be successful in the field of engineering.

Nandika D'Souza, associate professor of materials science and engineering, loves the color, shape and texture of plastic.

Though she often jokes that a poem about people who are fake or "plastic" sparked her interest in the material, D'Souza says her mother was the primary driving force behind her choosing engineering as a career.

"My mother wanted to make sure I earned enough money to be self-sufficient," says D'Souza. "She wanted me to be better than I could imagine."

In 1988, D'Souza obtained her bachelor's degree in polymer engineering from the University of Pune in India. After graduation she traveled to America and attended Auburn University in Alabama where she earned her master's degree in mechanical engineering through the university's materials engineering program in 1991. Three years later she graduated from Texas A&M University with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.

Positions in engineering at Texas Instruments brought her to Texas, but D'Souza eventually accepted a post-doctoral research position at UNT and later became a professor.

"Nandika D'Souza combines in one person the seriousness of a successful researcher with the warmth of a caring and dedicated teacher," says Oscar Garcia, founding dean of the College of Engineering at UNT. "She is a faculty member of whom we are justifiably proud."

D'Souza conducted research with the Army Soldier Systems Laboratories and has been working with NASA's Scientific Balloon Program. In these projects, she is working to develop materials to decrease the rate at which helium leaves a scientific balloon, therefore extending the balloon's life.

D'Souza is also collaborating on a  joint project with her husband, Jason, a petroleum engineer.

"We are a good team," D'Souza says. "He is very creative and brings art, crafts and other areas into our lives."

Just as her mother encouraged her, D'Souza says she will encourage her children to pursue a career in engineering. However, it won't take much coaxing because they are already following in her footsteps.

D'Souza says her daughter, Alicia, 6, and son, Jason, 3, are interested in her job and already enjoy conducting simple scientific experiments.

D'Souza says that her career as a teacher and engineer not only allows her to prioritize her family, faith and work, but also provides fulfillment in all three areas. She encourages family-oriented people to consider academia as a career.

BY MAGAN HENDON kreese@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Defense bill approved by Congress includes $4.8 million for UNT
• 2004 proclaimed ‘Year of the University Press'
• UNT summer commencement is Saturday
• About the commencement speaker
• Scholarship established to honor pioneering students, North Texas' desegregation
• UNT study: Gender bias still evident in media's coverage of the Olympics
• Campus Chat changes to be unveiled Aug. 30
• Add, make changes to benefits this month
• UNT libraries conducting school supply drive benefiting Denton-area children
• Hop a bus to Austin for the Mean Green football season opener
• Avoid sales tax as you outfit your Mean Green wardrobe
• UNT enrollment for the 2004 Summer II term down slightly from 2003 official count

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