Speak for more than a few minutes with anyone who knows and has worked with Valerie Sheares Ashby, and you will probably hear “rock star” used to describe her. Her research focuses on synthetic polymer chemistry with an emphasis on designing and synthesizing materials for biomedical applications such as X-ray contrast agents and drug delivery materials. Along with her research team, Sheares Ashby holds 10 patents. And more than all that, what she really wants to do is to help create the same pathways for students that her teachers and mentors created for her.