By Jennifer Bails
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, June 26, 2006

Ke Min

Age: 28

Residence: Squirrel Hill

Family: Husband, Haifeng Gao

Education: Third-year doctoral student in the chemistry department at Carnegie Mellon University; bachelor's degree in chemistry from Nanjing University in China, 1999; master's degree in polymer chemistry and physics from Fudan University in China, 2002.

Noteworthy: Selected to receive the Kenneth G. Hancock Scholarship Award for her work in green chemistry. In many cases, green chemistry products are performing as well as or better than conventional products with less risk to human health and the environment. The scholarship will be presented to Min today during the 2006 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards at the National Academies in Washington. President Bush's science adviser, John Marburger III, will attend.

Background: Min's research focuses on making a technique used to synthesize polymers "greener," or safer to use in large-scale industrial settings.

Quote: "The award provides national recognition for outstanding student contributions to furthering the goals of green chemistry."

Jennifer Bails can be reached at or .