Ecaterina Stela Dragan is the head of the Functional Polymers Department at the ""Petru Poni"" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iasi, Romania. Her research interests include the synthesis and characterization of ionic polymers, smart composite hydrogels, porous ionic nano- and micro-structured materials, surface modification by polyelectrolytes, and separation by ion exchangers and biosorbents. Dr. Dragan is author or coauthor of more than 140 publications in international journals, 12 book chapters, and 38 national patents. She has been involved in the publication of seven books, both as an author and editor. She is also a reviewer for numerous international journals.