Dr. Samantha Meenach is currently an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island with joint appointments in chemical engineering and pharmaceutical sciences. She is originally from Kentucky and obtained her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky. Her doctoral research focused on the development of magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites for the treatment of cancer via hyperthermia and drug delivery. Following a postdoctoral scholar position in the College of Pharmacy at The Ohio State University, Samantha returned to Kentucky as a NIH NCI Cancer Nanotechnology (CNTC) Postdoctoral Trainee in the Colleges of Pharmacy and Engineering. There her research focused on the development of aerosol nanotherapeutics for the treatment of lung cancer. Since starting at URI in the fall of 2013, the work of the Meenach group has focused on the development of aerosol therapeutics for the treatment of pulmonary diseases, nanoparticle systems capable of penetrating physiological barriers, as well as in vitro techniques for the analysis of these systems. Outside of academics, Samantha is an avid reader and loves playing games, traveling, camping, kayaking, and yoga.