Jenny Boothby

Senior Biomaterials Engineer, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

Laurel, MD

Senior Biomaterials Engineer| Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab

Address

Laurel, MD

What I Do

I am a Polymer Synthetic Chemist at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. I get to design new, smart plastics that can help solve national problems, like tracking ocean climates, creating soft robots, or sensing and responding to specific chemicals.
Why Engineering?

I chose engineering because I love solving problems! I used to love reading Whodunit books and doing puzzles, and engineering is very similar for me. You have to pay attention to all the details, then come up with a logical solution that fits all the variables. It can be very difficult sometimes, but figuring out the solution is incredibly rewarding for me.
School Days

High school diploma '10 from Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in Bradenton, FL

BS '14 in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA

MS/PhD '19 in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Texas at Dallas in Dallas, TX
Inspiration

I decided I wanted to be an engineer after I went to a Girls in Engineering camp at a college in Massachusetts before I went to high school. If my teacher hadn't encouraged me to apply to this camp, I might not be where I am today.

I grew up in Florida, where I was lucky enough to attend a college-preparatory school. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia to get my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech under the Godbold scholarship program. While at Georgia Tech, I minored in Biology and worked part-time to support my education bills. I got involved in biomedical research, and I co-oped at a medical device company. I started in the PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering at University of Texas at Dallas in August 2015, where I was a Research Assistant in the Ware Lab. I graduated with my PhD in August 2019, and I started a position as a post-doc at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. I have since transitioned to senior staff, where I lead projects relating to smart materials and coastal resilience.