Dr. Karlsson is an Associate Professor and Chair at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware. She received a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University, New Jersey, in 1999 within the area of Solid Mechanics, and conducted postdoctoral research at Princeton University until joining the University of Delaware in 2002.  She is the recipient of the 2004 ONR Young Investigator award (See article) and the Francis Alison Young Scholars Award for 2005 (See article)  Dr. Karlsson is interested in the thermo-mechanical properties and response of advanced and traditional materials. Her current research includes composite structures, polymer fuel cells (see article about fuel cells), thermal barrier systems, ultralight structures and instrumented indentation.