Physical Organic Chemist Expert: Plant Scale Up, (Organic Compounds, Polymers-Lab Synthesis-Specialty Polymers and Monomers)

Expertise

• Free radical polymer synthesis including emulsion, solution, bulk, suspension, ATRP (Atom-Transfer Radical-Polymerization).
• Condensation polymer synthesis including polyesters, nylon, polyethers (Ullmann synthesis).
• Small molecule organic synthesis (1-4 steps) with emphasis on acrylic and methacrylic monomers.
• Characterization of organic molecules using standard techniques such as NMR, IR, UV/Vis, mass spectrometry.
• Characterization of polymers using standard techniques such as HPLC, TGA, DSC, and viscosities.
• Isolation and purification of polymers.
• Kinetics studies to elucidate reaction mechanisms and determine important reaction parameters.
• Experimental designs and statistical analyses.

Experience

Independent Consultant, 1999 - Present

Projects

• Benz Research and Development: Designing synthesis lab which includes lining up suppliers and subcontractors. Identifying contract labs to synthesize monomers for their lens business.
• Saved $60 thousand in charges over previous lab that they were using.
• Abbey Color: Resolved various technical and process questions concerning their dye business and re-write material safety data sheets.
• Cytosorbents: Designed and synthesized various polymers to be used to treat hyperphosphatemia.
• LonzaGroup: Development of new biocides.
• Church and Dwight: Conducted formulation studies on new consumer product.

Polysciences, Warrington, PA, Custom Synthesis Group Leader, 2003 - 2012

• Responsible for developing synthetic procedures and processes for the manufacture of organic molecules and polymers for pharmaceutical and ophthalmological applications.
• Developed process and manufactured a number of batches of a polymeric delivery system for chemotherapeutic compound.
• Optimized process for a blue blocker monomer used in intraocular lenses.
• Reduced manufacturing cost by more than 50%.
• Designed and synthesized a series of monomers for ophthalmological applications.
• Co-developed the synthetic procedure and supervised the manufacturing team for a specialty monomer for one of our customers.
• Safety committee chairman responsible for the company safety program.
• Developed product including synthetic procedure for a material used in diabetes test strips.

Abbey Color, Philadelphia, PA, Technical Director, 2000 - 2003

• Directed staff in conducting all quality control work within the company.
• Developed process and scaled up manufacturing procedure for new dye.
• Did trouble shooting for plant manufacturing problems.
• Revised SOP and did validation runs for a USP product.
• Conducted lab studies on the purification of tannin.

Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, PA, 1975 - 1999

Lead Chemist, Biocides

• Developed manufacturing process for new isothiazolone biocide and scaled up at three different plant locations.
• Project team leader for isolating causes of color problems with isothiazolone products.
• Conducted extensive studies on the thermal dissociation of isothiazolone hydrochloride as an isolation method.

Group Leader, Polymer Process Research

• Directed a process group in the scale up of polymeric additives for PVC, (Polyvinyl Chloride).
• Developed data base for the preparation and incorporation of thermal oxidative stabilizers in budadiene/styrene modifiers for PVC..

Senior Chemist, Modifiers

• Conducted laboratory studies to resolve plant quality issues.
• Became organoleptic expert for modifiers in PVC water bottles.

Diamond Shamrock, Baltimore, MD, Plant Development Chemist, 1969 - 1971

• Scaled up a number of products in the Baltimore plant.

Honors & Publications

Languages

• French: reading knowledge

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society
• American Association for the Advancement of Science

Awards

Four research awards from Rohm and Haas

• Organoleptics
• Presenting a paper at Antec
• Resolving a very complex process problem
• Thermal dissociation studies

Publications and Patents

• Author of educational text, articles in peer reviewed journals and conference subject matters
• 2 U.S. patents.

Education

• Ph.D. Physical Organic Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
• B.A. Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD