For a baby developing inside of a mother, the last weeks before birth are crucial.

Connections are formed among nerves to support breathing, swallowing and other functions. Skin becomes thicker and more protective. The kidneys build their filtering capacity. The brain grows at an exponential rate; as of 35 weeks, it has just two-thirds of its volume.

Suffice to say, babies born too early enter the world at a great disadvantage. And caring for prematurely born infants — defined as having arrived at 37 weeks of gestation or sooner — is an immensely delicate and complicated mission.

In Atlanta, a prominent leader of this mission is Dr. David Carlton (B.S. ChE ’79), head of Emory University’s neonatal-perinatal medicine division. Carlton not only cares for preemies and babies born with undeveloped organs and other complications; he also oversees a cooperative of neonatal intensive care involving Emory, Grady Hospital and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Carlton took time out of a hectic schedule to talk about his path from majoring in chemical engineering at Georgia Tech to overseeing one of the nation’s most sophisticated collections of neonatal intensive care units.

Read the full story on the College of Engineering news page.