Anita Mattson '02
Chemistry
Holden, MA
As a graduate of NMU's chemistry program, Anita serves as an organic synthetic chemist with a strong medicinal chemistry component in her research. The Marquette native is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She oversees the Mattson Group, a laboratory conducting research to develop new molecular methods for synthesizing treatments for drug-resistant cancers. In 2017, she received a $1.7 million award from the NIH to support this work. Anita was also a 2020 recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award. She lives in Holden, Mass. with her husband James Stambuli, and their 6-year-old daughter, Kate and 7-month old son, Wyatt.