Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of New Mexico
Education
BS – Mechanical Engineering, Minor, Manufacturing, California State University, Chico
MS – Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico
PhD – Biomedical Engineering, PhD Minor, Nanoscience & Microsystems Engineering, University of New Mexico
Business/Research Background
Dr. Salas is an Associate Professor, tenured in the Department of Mechanical Engineering with a joint appointment in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at The University of New Mexico. She also serves as Director of the UNM Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program. Dr. Salas recently transitioned to the UNM School of Engineering after working for 10 years in the UNM School of Medicine where she served as the Director of Basic Science & Preclinical Research in the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation. Dr. Salas performs research that is highly translational, often resulting in an immediate impact on clinical care. In her biomechanics and biomaterials laboratory, research includes, but is not limited to: medical device development, fundamental understanding of tissue response to mechanical loading, 3D printing for pre-surgical planning, and characterization of existing surgical treatments for the development of new treatment options for all manner of fractures, diseases, or disorders in orthopaedics. Dr. Salas’ independent research uses additive manufacturing (AM) for the development of complex composite scaffolds for eventual total joint replacement via a regenerative approach. Using hybrid AM platforms developed in her lab, researchers fabricate multi-scale, multi-material bone-ligament-bone scaffolds using materials synthesized in-house. Use of AM enables functional mechanical gradients not seen with traditional manufacturing processes, while addressing the chemical and biological requirements needed for tissue regeneration. In 2024, Dr. Salas received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from the UNM School of Engineering for her contributions to research and education since graduating with her degrees from UNM.
Particular Knowledge and Skills
In 2020, at the height of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, she and her students used 3D printers to create thousands of face masks and shields to protect against the virus and delivered them to the Navajo Nation, healthcare providers, and immigrants along New Mexico’s southern border. She received many accolades for this community work including the Dolores Huerta Si Se Puede Award from the Recuerda a Cesar Chavez Committee, the Ovation Award for Research and Scholarship from the UNM Office of the Vice President for Research, and was honored in the September 2020 issue of In Style Magazine, Badass 50: Healthcare Workers Who Are Saving the Day. For 16 years, Dr. Salas has mentored young women interested in engineering and orthopedics careers though the Perry Initiative, a national outreach program for which she serves as Co-Chair of the Advisory Board. She is also Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, & Accessibility Committee for the Orthopaedic Research Society, the premier international research organization in her field.