Pamela Norris joined U.Va in the Fall of 1994. In her first year, she won an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award. A native Virginian, she received a B.S. in M.E. from Old Dominion University in 1987 and a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech in 1992. Prior to joining U.Va she served as a Visiting Scholar and Visiting Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley (1993-1994). Dr. Norris is the founder and director of the U.Va Microscale Heat Transfer Laboratory and the Aerogel Research Lab. Her current research interests include: sensors for biological warfare detection, optical measurement techniques, microscale heat transfer, thin-film thermophysical properties, integration of sol-gel materials into microanalytical devices and advancement of aerogel technology. The Aerogel Research Lab is active in aerogel production and material modification techniques, flow characterization studies, acoustic studies, and in the development of biological warfare sensors. The Microscale Heat Transfer Laboratory houses a state-of-the-art laboratory facility for optical techniques in microscale heat transfer and performs both experimental and theoretical investigations of thin-film thermophysical properties. Dr. Norris currently serves on the University Faculty Forum for Scientific Resear Dr. Norris currently serves on the University Policy Research Advisory Committee, on the Dean's Research Advisory Council, and as Director of Graduate Studies in MAE. She is active in ASME and is chair of the Committee on Heat Transfer Education.