An expert on condensed matter physics and nanotechnology, Dr. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky is literally driven to make the study of science relevant and fun.
She wrote the book The Physics of NASCAR, which explains the science behind the popular sport. The book is based on her extensive access to race shops, pit crews, crew chiefs and mechanics, and her own experience driving at Texas Motor Speedway.
Away from the race track and back in the lab, Leslie-Pelecky focuses on research in biomedical nanomaterials. She's currently exploring magnetic nanoparticles that can "stick" to cancer tumors for a bull's eye delivery of chemotherapy directly to the tumor instead of the more invasive treatments used now."Driving a stock car is nothing like driving a street car really fast. A car moving at 180 mph in a straight line will keep moving at 180 mph in a straight line; that's the law of inertia. But a NASCAR race is a long series of left turns, and that's where the race is won or lost. A good, high-speed turn is a balance of three forces acting at once and constantly changing. Too much or too little of any force will lead to disaster.
Nanotechnology, often referred to as "small science," involves work with materials that are about one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair.
Leslie-Pelecky's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation, among others.
In addition to making new discoveries, both on the race track and off, Dr. Leslie-Pelecky is actively involved with initiatives aimed at improving student achievement in math, science, and engineering.
- Updated: February 24, 2009
