Prof. Kristala L Jones Prather

Prather joined MIT’s faculty in 2004. She studies the design of recombinant microorganisms for the production of small molecules. Her team at the Prather Research Group conducts research in three main areas: the design and assembly of novel pathways for biological synthesis; the enhancement of enzyme activity and control of metabolic flux; and bioprocess engineering and design.

Prather’s research seeks to address issues in climate and sustainability by reducing the need for fossil feedstocks for both energy and chemicals. She and her team design pathways to produce small molecules from renewable biomass rather than petroleum, and complement that work by developing novel approaches for improving productivity of biological systems.

As executive officer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Prather oversaw operations and policies related to teaching, space, and the Course 10 undergraduate program. She has organized teaching assignments, managed space needs for new faculty members, and chaired the Task Force on Undergraduate Curriculum Revitalization.

Prather has been an active member of several initiatives and programs across the Institute. She has served as a member of the Office of Engineering Outreach Programs (now MITES) Advisory Board, co-director of the Microbiology Graduate PhD Program, and co-director of the MIT Energy Initiative's Energy Bioscience Low-Carbon Energy Center. Last year, Prather was a member of the MIT Presidential Search Committee.

A dedicated educator, Prather has taught chemical engineering to students ranging from first-years undergraduate students to seasoned professionals. She is the lead instructor of Fermentation Technology, the longest-running course offered by MIT Professional Education. Prather’s commitment to teaching has been celebrated with a number of awards, including a MacVicar Faculty Fellowship, MIT School of Engineering Junior Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Department of Chemical Engineering Outstanding Faculty Award for Undergraduate Teaching.