Lea Michel
Professor
Lea Michel
Professor
Bio
Video Bio
Lea Vacca Michel, Ph.D. is a Professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology. In 2022, she was named the College's first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Currently, her research is focused on the role of proteins in disease. Dr. Michel is a proud member of RIT's Women in Science (WISe) program (former Chair of WISe), a mentor for the Rochester Project SEED program (former Director), member of the Rochester ACS Women Chemists Committee (WCC), Director of the Research Strand for the HHMI-funded Inclusive Excellence program at RIT, and a member of ASBMB's Maximizing Access Committee (incoming Chair). She strives to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities (including those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing) in science and math. Dr. Michel is also the Director of Experiments for the SMASH Experience for Middle School Girls, led by Dr. Kara Maki (School of Mathematics and Statistics). Dr. Michel was featured in articles in Nature (Nature 558, 149-151, 2018) and Chemistry World magazine (Chemistry World, Careers, 21 December 2020), and she was awarded the 2022 ASBMB Early-Career Leadership Award (ASBMB Today article) and the 2023 ChemCUR Outstanding Mentor Award from the Chemistry Division and the Council on Undergraduate Research.
For more information, please visit the Lea Michel Research Group website.
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In the News
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April 17, 2025
Two College of Science students earn Goldwater Scholarships
Grace Perna, a third-year biotechnology student, and Eva Reilly, a second-year biochemistry major, will use the scholarship to further their research in labs that aim to find better solutions for a range of diseases.
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April 4, 2025
Michel works to bring inclusivity to the classroom and the lab
Lea Michel’s commitment to mentorship, diversity, and hands-on learning reflects the same encouragement that once sparked her own path in STEM. She is being recognized for her impact with the 2025 Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching.
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February 14, 2024
RIT receives diversity and inclusion award from National Institutes of Health
RIT has been announced as one of 10 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize Competition award winners.