Research Scientist Phd.D. Polymer / Chemical Engineer

Industry:	Research
Occupation:	Polymer
Ideal Companies:	BASF, Lubrizol, Avery-Dennison, Celanese, Syngenta, Nalco
Education level:	Doctorate
Will Relocate:	Yes
Location:	Midlothian, VA

3/2005 - 3/2009

Philip Morris USA

Individual Contributor

• Executed both product and process development projects for tobacco-based technologies. Product Development (2007-2009) • Interfaced with both sensory and analytical functions to establish potential consumer targets and develop product and process characteristics for new smokeless tobacco products. • Led texture team toward new understanding of compressible, non-free flowing material and develop new product offerings and modify process / product parameters. Team developed four new test methods for new product and recommended and effected process change resulting in more favorable reception of test market product. • Identified critical issue for scale-up in process equipment of coated tobacco product enabling ~100-fold increase in production rate. Process Commercialization & Engineering (2005-2007) • Engaged in process development, technology evaluation, and development • Successfully modified sensory characteristics of tobacco using Browning (Maillard) reactions and enzymatic treatments. • Evaluated drying technology for smokeless tobacco and recommended large-scale drying platform based on functional performance, analytical findings, and sensory testing (from lab to pilot to commercial scale). • Established stress-strain relationship for moist smokeless tobacco for understanding, product characterization, and process knowledge. • Championed implications of transport phenomena (heat and mass transfer) on MST fermentation process (scale-up importance). Process proven to be diffusion-limited and established the need for process modeling. • Identified potential OSHA issue with nicotine, confirmed its magnitude, and offered a solution that resulted in a change of work practice and problem avoidance

3/2000 - 3/2005

The Dow Chemical Company

Individual Contributor

• Responsible for product development, latex polymerization, formulation, characterization, end-use testing, test method development, and scale-up of colloid based products used as structural adhesives for carpet backsizing. Responsible for product development, latex polymerization, formulation, characterization, end-use testing, test method development, and scale-up of colloid based products used as structural adhesives for carpet backsizing. • Developed technology (from concept to scale-up) for a very high solid latex and formulated compound resulting in new product offering for energy savings, more effective use of customer assets, and potential labor reduction. • Test method development for foam stability and rheology offering a platform for evaluation of component and additive impact (surfactants, thickeners, polyelectrolytes, antioxidants, defoamers, wetting agents). • Evaluated the options of changing latex composition to acrylic-based for both functionality and profitability due to changes in hydrocarbon costs. Fully-implemented change would result in multi-million dollar savings. • Developed new test method to improve resolution of delamination strength method and reduce measurement noise. Translated to improved detection of customer process changes for technical service personnel. from concept to scale-up) for a very high solid latex and formulated compound resulting in new product offering for energy savings, more effective use of customer assets, and potential labor reduction. • Test method development for foam stability and rheology offering a platform for evaluation of component and additive impact (surfactants, thickeners, polyelectrolytes, antioxidants, defoamers, wetting agents). • Evaluated the options of changing latex composition to acrylic-based for both functionality and profitability due to changes in hydrocarbon costs. Fully-implemented change would result in multi-million dollar savings. • Developed new test method to improve resolution of delamination strength method and reduce measurement noise. Translated to improved detection of customer process changes for technical service personnel.

1996

Doctorate Degree

Northwestern University

• Chemical Engineering

1992

Master Degree

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Chemical Engineering

1990

Bachelor Degree

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Chemical Engineering

Polymers, Coatings, Rheology, Surfactants, scale-up, stage-gate product development, thin-films, problem solving, structure-property relationships, adhesives, viscoelasticity, elastomers