Barbara Smith
Featured mentor, FURI
Associate Professor, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering
Barbara Smith is an Associate Professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering at Arizona State University. The Smith laboratory focuses on developing novel optical technologies and applying systems biology approaches for disease detection and patient stratification. Recent work in her lab has led to high tier publications and the submission of over 20 patent applications. Since joining ASU, Smith received multiple honors and awards including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Centennial Professorship Award, and Women and Philanthropy Award, honoring her deep commitment to excellence in education and research. In 2025, Smith received the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) award, honoring her contributions to science and technology.
Dr. Smith has been outstanding this semester by holding weekly lab meetings for both the undergraduate and graduate students. In these lab meetings, I am given feedback on deliverables that I should be working through the next week as well as learn what the graduate students have been working on. She always gets back to my emails within a day and provides me feedback on proposals. Dr. Smith is a fantastic mentor!