Kathryn Uhrich a 1983 graduate of Grand Forks Central High School received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of North Dakota in 1986.  Kathryn went on to receive a PH.D. in Organic Chemistry from Cornell University and served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Bell Laboratories, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Uhrich currently serves as a professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey where she is also the acting Dean of the Mathematical and Physical Science Departments, overseeing more than 300 staff at the school.  Dr. Uhrich founded the Uhrich Group Laboratory, which is dedicated to the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers for dental, medical, and cosmetic applications.  Dr. Uhrich currently holds more than 30 United States and international patents, and has been named one of New Jersey’s biggest brains by the Star Ledger Newspaper. 

Dr. Uhrich has received several awards for her work including the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award from the New Jersey R&D Council, the Buck-Whitney Award from the American Chemical Society, and the University of North Dakota Alumni Association’s Prestigious Sioux Award.