Reactive Chemicals Emergency Response and Hazards Evaluation Expert

Expertise

Summary

• Reactive chemicals and calorimetric testing, testing and interpretation.
• Reaction heat estimation and the use of the CHETAH (Chemical Thermodynamics and Energy Release Evaluation) program.
• Highly knowledgeable in monomer stability, reactive chemicals emergency response, and chemical compatibility (co-author and developer of ASTM E2012).

Technical Areas

• Reactive chemicals emergency response and post-event calorimetric testing.
• Reactive chemicals hazard evaluations.
• ASTM E27 methods in hazard assessments-flammability, Ignitability, thermal stability, compatibility and energy release.
• Computing enthalpies of formation of gaseous compounds.

Experience

Independent Consultant, 2014 - Present

• Provide reactive chemicals training including reaction heat estimation methods, CHETAH software, and a number of other specialized areas related to reactive chemicals hazard evaluation.
• Lead Environmental Health and Safety Research Scientist.

Dow Chemical, 1982 - 2011

• Consulting to several Dow businesses on Reactive Chemicals issues, including thermodynamic calculations and estimations, calorimetric testing strategies and interpretation, and RCPHA activities. Considered an expert in the use of the CHETAH software.
• Reactive Chemicals consultation, testing, prediction, and modeling with a focus on thermochemical prediction methods, chemical compatibility, and developing efficient testing strategies.
• Molecular modeling methodology to predict industrially important physical properties.

Argonne National Laboratory, 1997 - 1982

• Researcher - Physical inorganic chemistry
• Gas phase hydrogen bonding in polar gases.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• Cofounder of the ongoing Industrial Fluid Properties Simulation Challenge, a scientific contest through AIChE.
• Chairman of the ASTM Committee E27 (where many widely used reactive chemicals standard testing methods are developed and adopted).
• North American Thermal Analysis Society
• Great Lakes Thermal Analysis Society
• ASTM E27, Hazard Potential of Chemicals

Awards

• Dow Technology Center Awards (of 5 years)
• ASTM E27, Appreciation Award

Publications and Patents

• Author and Co-Author published papers (over 75) in a wide variety of research topics including many in the area of Reactive Chemicals and has presented workshops around the world on the use of the CHETAH software.

Education

• Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• B.S. Chemistry (cum Laude) Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI