She is considered one of the world's leading specialists on Leonardo da Vinci, especially his drawings.
[1] Bambach received her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Yale University.
[2] Commenting on the 2017 exhibition of over 130 Michelangelo drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer", Bambach, who curated the showing, attributed a black chalk sketch to the artist against the then current consensus among her colleagues.
The same year, she was the first recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Excellence, recognizing work that reflects immigration's impact on American society.
[4] In 2020, an honoree of the Great Immigrants Award named by Carnegie Corporation of New York.