In Memoriam: Kristi Kiick

I will always cherish the time I spent in Professor Kiick’s research group. Kristi was so much more than a mentor to me. Kristi’s strength was matched only by her warmth; her laugh could always light up a room, even on a hard day. Krisi fought with such courage, but what I will remember most is the wisdom, kindness, and light she shared with me.

– Ting Nie, Evonik Corporation (Alumni)

Kristi Kiick was one of the main reasons I chose to come to UD for graduate school. I remember our first sit down conversation, I was in awe of this woman. Her proficient scientific knowledge, confidence, kindness, and warmth. A rare combination. I will forever look up to this woman.

– Abigail Nolin

Kristi gave me, a Metallurgical Engineer, the opportunity to get exposed to biomaterials by accepting to co-advice my PhD. Years later, after working in the industry, with her helpfulness and generosity I became a postdoc in her team. She was always very flexible and understanding with me. My journey would have been very different without her support, and I owe so much of who I am today to her…

– Onur Kas, Alumni

Kristi and I grew up together in the same smallish PA town – I think we had almost every class together through middle and high school, and we played field hockey together. We both started UD as Chemical Engineering majors (Kristi started a year before me because I took a gap year after high school) and both switched to Chemistry, even though Kristi turned back to Engineering later! We took honors physical chemistry with Joe Noggle together – Kristi as a junior and me as a sophomore. If it wasn’t for Kristi coming prepared to class every day, I wouldn’t have kept up, because Dr. Noggle claimed he wouldn’t lecture unless we asked questions. I think the whole class depended on Kristi asking questions so the rest of us could learn! We also ended up studying the same enzyme several years later – Kristi as a PhD student and me as a postdoc. Kristi was a dear friend for close to 50 years and I will miss her profoundly.

– Rebecca Wagner Alexander, Alumni

Kristi was a remarkable scientist, mentor, and friend—and she was genuinely funny. She had a way of bringing humor into even the most intense moments, reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously while still holding our work to the highest standards. Her generosity, warmth, and sharp wit made her a joy to be around, and her impact will live on through the many students, colleagues, and collaborators she supported and inspired. She will be deeply missed and always remembered.

– Jin Montclare, NYU

Thank you, Prof. Kiick, dear Kristi, for being such an enthusiastic and passionate scientist, and above all, such a warm and inspiring person. I have very pleasant memories of visiting you at UD as a young student back in 2006.
Alma Mingels
Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands

– Alma Mingels, Alumni (visiting student)

It’s hard to put into words the impact Kristi had on my life and career. Her optimism and genuine zeal for the work were nothing short of incredible; she had a rare way of looking at a daunting problem and making me feel like the solution was just around the corner.

She didn’t just teach me how to be a better scientist; she showed me how to approach every challenge with joy and curiosity. While Kristi was a powerhouse in our field—a brilliant scientist and a natural leader—she was, above all, a wonderful mentor. I will miss her deeply, but I carry her spirit with me in every scientific endeavor I pursue.

– Chris McGann, Staff Product Manager, Sila Nanotechnologies; Alumni

Kristi was a strong supporter of incorporating international components into our biomedical engineering curriculum. As a former Fulbright Scholar herself, she understood the value of diversified thinking, and we worked together to develop global experiences for our students. She was essential to bringing a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence to UD’s campus and the development of UD BME study abroad programming.

– Julie Karand, UD BME

I cherish my time working with you Kristi and she had a long-lasting impact on me. Kristi has always been a role model for me. During my time in her group, Kristi allowed me the freedom to explore and grow. Thank you Kristi for being my supervisor and mentor. I am honoured and proud of having worked with you.

Sincerely,
Siddharth

– Siddharth Patwardhan, University of Sheffield

I have worked for a brief period at Kristi’s research lab during my PhD visit and really enjoyed her mentorship and energy. She will be missed.

– Floor Ruiter, Maastricht University

I think my first meeting with Kristi was when she was interviewing for faculty positions and visited the University of Pennsylvania. Right away it was clear that she was not only a future star but a truly considerate and compassionate human. Our last conversation was in April 2023 when she visited Penn (see photo below). We discussed her time in Sheffield, supporting first generation/low income students, challenges in academia, educational philosophies, and even some science. I am a better person for having known Kristi, and so are her students, colleagues and friends.

– Russ Composto, University of Pennsylvania

Kristi had an easy hospitality about her, always seeing the best in people and making them feel comfortable. She was both brilliant and down to earth, and I’m deeply grateful to have known her.

– Ann Lewandowski, Friend

Kristi was simply an all-around, amazing person to know. She was extremely supportive, compassionate, and kind. No matter what was going on, a smile from Kristi was enough to brighten your day. She will be missed tremendously.

– Sharisse Brewster, Former Assistant to the Dean, College of Engineering

I’ve been an admirer or Kristi’s scientific interests since her days in graduate school, and later as a junior faculty member in UD’s MSEG. Her interests in designer proteins, along with strong collaborations with Darrin Pochan and Xinqiao Jia, confirmed to me that the MSEG department at UD would be great place to continue my own academic career. After arriving at UD Kristi became a trusted friend and role model, providing both scientific and administrative support to the community. She had a huge impact on many of her colleagues and students, and we will miss her steadfast and thoughtful contributions.

– David Martin, Colleague in MSEG at UD

I have a million great memories of Kristi going back to graduate school, when she met her husband Rick in graduate school, all the way to now. She and I collaborated over the entire time we were both at UD and have many co-authored papers together. I was so excited when Kristi interviewed at UD, and I was ecstatic when she decided to join our fledgling Materials Science and Engineering Department—she was faculty member number seven to join—because I was lucky enough to not just have an excellent scientist, leader, mentor and collaborator join, but also to have a great friend to work with. It was really just a super fun situation. While I am very sad that she is gone, I have been thinking a lot about memories of her at UD, and it brings a big smile to my face.

– Darrin Pochan, Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, UD

Kristi was an outstanding scientist and compassionate leader, and all of biomedical engineering was made better by her leadership in our field.

– Paul Sajda, Chair of biomedical engineering, Columbia University

I knew of Kristi’s work and had the pleasure of seeing her speak at a conference before I joined the faculty at UD, where I was blown away by her talent and expertise and the impact of her work. What a pleasure it was to meet and then work with Kristi when I joined the faculty at UD. She served as a mentor, collaborator and leader while also being a great friend. Kristi brought energy and engagement, as well as vision and perspective to every role, and she was and remains a great inspiration to me and so many others.

– April Kloxin, Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and materials science and engineering, UD

Kristi was an extraordinary leader, scholar and mentor whose impact on biomedical engineering and the University of Delaware community was profound. Her legacy will endure through the many lives she touched.

– Syam Nukavarapu, Professor and head of biomedical engineering, materials science and engineering, University of Connecticut

I loved so many things about Kristi. When I think about how she impacted the University and the people around her, her unwavering positivity and humor, the way she always assumed best intentions — her frankness! — and her innate way of bringing others in to collectively solve a problem are what immediately come to my mind. She was not only a dear friend, but also a role model and mentor for me, and I have tried to emulate the way she brought these traits to leadership, because I saw daily how these approaches made all the difference.

– Millicent Sullivan, Professor and chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering, UD

Kristi was always a friend and a mentor, and I remember all the ways she was supportive of her colleagues. What I appreciate the most (in this incredibly sad time) is how often she was willing to be vulnerable and tell people when things were stressing her out. It was a good reminder that no matter how great you are at what you do—and Kristi was truly an outstanding scholar—and no matter how tough you are—and Kristi was so very tough— sometimes things get to you and that is also okay. Truly, Kristi was a role-model in how to be your authentic self. She also had a great sense of humor and a ready laugh.

– Joshua Zide, Professor and chair of materials science and engineering, UD

Kristi and I both started as assistant professors at UD in 2001. From the day I met her, she was someone I admired tremendously. Her work was incredibly important—I was reminded of this just last month at a scientific conference when a keynote speaker discussed the impact of Kristi’s work during his talk. I marveled at Kristi’s dedication to her students, her abilities as a mentor and her continual efforts to make UD a better university. She was a wonderful friend and colleague who represented the absolute best of UD.

– Joseph Fox, Francis Alison Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD

Kristi has been my mentor, role model, collaborator and close friend since I joined UD in 2005. She was an extraordinary individual, always thinking about important scientific problems to solve. She was kind, generous and selfless. We have collaborated successfully for many years, publishing 19 papers together. She dedicated her life to science and education. She has positively impacted my life and the lives of many others.

– Xinqiao Jia, Professor of materials science and engineering, biomedical engineering and biological sciences, UD

I really appreciated the way that Kristi took interest in my professional growth and pushed me to take on more leadership roles. She really saw and appreciated what people were doing, and she helped them see where their strengths could carry them. Kristi naturally slipped into a mentorship role with the people she worked with.

– Ryan Zurakowski, Chair, Biomedical Engineering

“Kristi helped me, and the University of Delaware, in more ways than I can count. She was among the first people to reach out when I was appointed dean, and she helped me find my footing at UD, our shared alma mater. We partnered on a number of initiatives while she was deputy dean, and through that work, I learned a great deal from her about leading and following. I was particularly grateful when she accepted the appointment as chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, even with her commitments to research, teaching and a growing family. You don’t meet many people like Kristi in life. I feel blessed to have worked with her and called her a friend. She is dearly missed.”

– Levi Thompson, Former Dean of the College of Engineering, 2018 to 2024