Anna Shneidman

John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Anna Shneidman is currently a Research Associate in the Biomineralization and Biomimetics Lab at Harvard University. She received her BS in Chemistry and Physics in 2009 and her PhD in Chemical Physics in 2016, at Harvard. Her PhD research was conducted in the Laboratory of Nanoscale Optics, during which time she investigated several topics including magnetic field imaging with luminescent point defects in diamond, tuning the optical properties of self-assembled 3D photonic crystals known as inverse opals, and designing and creating polymer photonic structures via the roll-to-roll process in collaboration with Nano Terra, Inc. As a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate, Anna is investigating multifunctional bio-inspired materials with a focus on optical effects. She has continued to work with inverse opals for a wide variety of applications; and has collaborated with colleagues within the lab to produce and study light-responsive hydrogels and liquid crystal elastomers. Together with members of Harvard’s Organismic and Evolutionary Department, Anna has also helped unravel key optical features responsible for peacock spiders’ stunning visual displays. Anna is active in science outreach and community building. She co-led Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science’s chapter of the Photonics Club, part of the Optica (formerly the Optical Society); organizes and participates in a variety of outreach events for children, students, teachers, and families; and is a member of the Harvard Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC). Anna was Managing Director of Harvard’s Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology, fostering multi-disciplinary and inter-departmental collaborations with a focus on fundamental insights into biology’s design principles as well as bio-inspired innovations. She also played an active role in the development of the startup company Metalmark Innovations, Inc., which is commercializing bio-inspired hierarchically structured catalytic materials for air purification.