As a student growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, Rose M. Mutiso dreamed of following her curiosity. Drawn to Materials Science and Engineering – which underpins ubiquitous features of modern life like plastics and electronics – she received a PhD in the field, linking nanotechnology and polymer physics to create new materials for renewable energy and electronic applications. As a postdoctoral fellow in the US Senate, Rose co-authored legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama covering conservation, energy, and innovation policy.
Grateful for an education supported by financial aid and taxpayer-funded research, Rose is committed to paying this gift forward. She cofounded the Mawazo (“Ideas”) Institute, a nonprofit research institute based in Nairobi that helps African women complete their PhD studies and prepares them to become thought leaders and influence public discourse. She is also the Research Director of the Energy for Growth Hub, working with global experts to find solutions for energy deficits in developing countries.
Rose earned her BA and BE in Engineering Sciences with a concentration in Materials Science from Dartmouth College, and her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania