Experience

Madico, Inc.

• United States
• Plastics Manufacturing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Analytical Lab Manager

  • Mar 2019 - Present

  As a key member of Madico’s R&D Management staff, I provide ideas, information, and feedback to improve decision making. I am the subject matter expert for materials characterization and testing. I analyze technical aspects of projects supporting the R&D, Quality, Sales, and Purchasing departments. I am responsible for consolidating two labs, optimizing analytical capabilities and developing new methods. I lead the expansion of analytical laboratory capabilities and combine internal and external analytical efforts and interpret the results, reinforcing strategic and tactical business projects supporting Madico growth and profitability goals. I troubleshoot, maintain, calibrate and validate analytical instrumentation and ensure GLP principles are applied for regulatory compliance and consistency of results. I direct activities of other professionals and technicians and prioritize assignments assuring completion, accuracy, documentation, and communication of results. I foster good relations within Madico, and with all companies of the Lintec enterprise, as well as our customers and suppliers and serve as mentor to staff members. In total, I assist Management in making decisions regarding the direction of R&D.



Arkema-ArrMaz

• United States
• Chemical Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Chemist Technical Services at ArrMaz

  • Apr 2017 - Mar 2019

  Optimize coatings and specialty chemicals, primarily for the fertilizer and mining industries, with the goal of meeting globally evolving customer needs. Ensure ArrMaz maintains international leadership in providing excellent functional chemistry and superior coating processes to agricultural, mining, asphalt, construction, and industrial mineral processing industries. Identify new business opportunities and manage R&D projects to solve problems, develop higher value products and explore cost savings opportunities.Interface with customers to provide tailored technical solutions for all business units in the areas of dust control, anti-caking, coloring and granulation aids in cooperation with Product Managers and Sales Account Managers.Provide laboratory support to QA and Production departments. Develop new analytical methods and novel tests to demonstrate ArrMaz product performance. Bring lab automation and machine vision technology to ArrMaz increasing throughput and precision while creating industry-wide performance standards. Interact with external research partners. Mentor coworkers and lead technicians in working safely and being successful in their projects.



Transitions Optical

• Medical Device
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Senior Project Chemist, Advanced Technology

  • Aug 2012 - Apr 2017

  The conversion of clear ophthalmic lenses to photochromic lenses offers several unique challenges that require close cooperation between the PPG R&D groups in Pittsburgh, PA and the Product Leadership Team (PLT) in Pinellas Park, FL. The Advanced Technology Senior Project Chemist has a central role in the transfer of technology between R&D and Product Leadership. As the liaison interfacing between these two teams I explore improvement opportunities for existing fabrication methods and processes that are used to manufacture Transitions lenses. I support current research projects and test drills launched at both locations, advancing innovation in photochromic science and polymer science and engineering. The position primarily impacts future technology but also affects current operations.• Study photochromic chemistry and structure-property relationships in order to select photochromic dyes suitable for particular fabrication techniques.• Identify technology to be transferred to PLT for preliminary screening and conduct these evaluations using my knowledge of polymer science, analytical methods, spectroscopy, microscopy, metrology and coatings components.• Advise R&D, suggesting problem solutions with attention to detail while acting with long-term perspective.• Provide technical leadership and influence as necessary to develop and commercialize new technologies and new processes for the creation of innovative products.



Essilor Group

• France
• Medical Equipment Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Polymer Chemist, Materials Scientist

  • 1998 - 2012

  Essilor is the world leader for ophthalmic lenses and technology. Analytic and Testing for coated polymer eyeglass lenses. Research focuses on the development of impact resistance, scratch resistance, photochromic lenses, polarization, antireflective coatings, antistatic, antifog, multilayer systems, colloid-materials, polymer chemistry, thermoplastic processing. Process and material optimization for durable medical devices.• Successfully support the progress of hundreds of projects, studies and investigations. • Provide key information to international R&D teams to solve complex technical problems; efficient troubleshooting of persistent production problems.• Use technical expertise for method development, manufacturing prototypes design, leadership, and project management.• Combine high level understanding of chemistry and physics with the right analytical tools to overcome fundamental and practical obstacles.• Technology decisions and innovative adjustments for efficient problem elimination.• Applied IR and high speed imaging methods, image processing, and data processing to R&D and prototype engineering problems.• Editorial contributions to Norms and Standards Board.• Sponsoring two branches of the innovation roadmap and providing technical leadership to technicians, interns, contractors and university partners.



University of Florida

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Associate

  • 1995 - 1998

  Research interests included Scanning Probe Microscopy, Langmuir-Blodgett technique, coated microgel and ceramic particles, x-ray diffraction.• Developed unconventional AFM techniques to investigate copolyester surfaces to optimize their weatherability enabling outdoor applications.• Conceived a novel 2D viscosimeter to observe particle flow.• Set up X-ray equipment and derived orientation parameters of liquid crystalline polymers.• XAFS and reflectivity studies at the Argonne National Lab APS



Eastman

• United States
• Chemical Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Visiting Scientist

  • 1997 - 1997

  Polymer Stabilization and Colorant Research Lab and the Microscopy and Morphology Research Lab. • Elucidated the surface chemistry of weathered copolyesters by ESCA/XPS using gas-phase derivatization.• Imaged and probed surfaces of nano-composites using Force Modulation-AFM.• Developed nano-tribological test method to investigate mechanical properties of polymers near the surface. Polymer Stabilization and Colorant Research Lab and the Microscopy and Morphology Research Lab. • Elucidated the surface chemistry of weathered copolyesters by ESCA/XPS using gas-phase derivatization.• Imaged and probed surfaces of nano-composites using Force Modulation-AFM.• Developed nano-tribological test method to investigate mechanical properties of polymers near the surface.



Rhône-Poulenc-Rhodia AG

• Research Assistant

  • 1988 - 1989

  Independent projects in the Research and Development Department. • Developed novel quantitative analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke condensate using charge-transfer extraction, HPLC and GC. • Fractionated cellulose esters by GPC and analyzed hemicellulose fractions by GC and ICP. Independent projects in the Research and Development Department. • Developed novel quantitative analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke condensate using charge-transfer extraction, HPLC and GC. • Fractionated cellulose esters by GPC and analyzed hemicellulose fractions by GC and ICP.