Dr. Jen Hanson

As a Product Development Specialist in the Consumer Healthcare division with over 10 patent applications, Jen and her team identify ways to consistently improve 3M’s Nexcare™ products, such as bandages or medical tapes. These products are most commonly used to cover and protect minor wounds or to prevent blisters. Prior to this role, Jen was a product developer in the Critical and Chronic Care division. There she developed new products under the Tegaderm™ brand, which are dressings are frequently used in hospitals.

In Jen’s own words, she loves that her job allows her to, “solve problems and make awesome stuff.” Each day, Jen is solving problems—whether it be developing a new test method, troubleshooting an unexpected lab result or building prototypes to test with customers.

As a child, she loved making ‘stuff’, using the workbench her father built her. This maker mentality stayed with her. Today she uses her education to work at the lab bench, creating novel products that allow people to get back to living, even after a minor injury!

Jen completed her post-doctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She holds both a Ph.D. in Material Science & Engineering and a certificate in Technology Management from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jen graduated with a BSE in Material Science & Engineering from University of Michigan. When she isn’t in the lab, you can find Jen hiking local trails with her fiancé and her dogs, in the kitchen trying out new recipes or rooting for the University of Michigan sports teams (Go Blue!).