Physical Scientist Delivering Technology Solutions to the Aerosol, Fluid Mechanics, & Sensory Sectors

Expertise

Summary

Modeling and simulation and aerosol technology, with an in-depth knowledge of physics and chemistry.

Offering over fifteen years of industrial research and development experience for Fortune 500 consumer products companies. Significant management experience at the senior manager level.

A senior scientist leading cross functional teams and leverages external partnerships to deliver innovative solutions, by translating business questions to scientific problems and science-based results back into answers for the business.

• Aerosol formation and characterization.
• Develop and apply models of ion motion, fluid mechanics and aerosol dynamics for the design of ion optics.
• Tobacco product design and formulation.
• Sensory science.
• Packaged product shelf life prediction.
• Mathematical modeling.
• Programming (Python, R, Fortran).
• Neural networks, Genetic Algorithms.
• Multivariate analysis.
• Project management.

Experience

Undisclosed Company, Principal, 2019 - Present

• Work with client's team to develop experimental systems and data to integrate with model development for complex systems such as air deposition of semi-volatile aerosols.
• Developed unique experimental systems for aerosol formation measurements where off the shelf instrumentation in not available.
• Applied physical principals to develop models to optimize designs for development of a new product.
• Technical Advisor to a startup company developing a smoke cessation product.

Altria Client Services, (Philip Morris USA), Principal Scientist II, 2002 - 2019      

Principal Scientist-Senior Manager of Sensory Science Research

• Led the sensory science research group in the investigation of sensory responses to cigarette and electronic cigarette products and the development of sensory technologies to enhance acceptability of electronic cigarettes for adult cigarette smokers.  
• Took the research from exploratory to a useful product development tool, resulting in a patent application for a technology to enhance feeling factors in electronic cigarette products.
• Supervised a staff of 8 direct reports and contractors and managed $1 million per year of external research.

Senior Research Scientist | Associate Principal Scientist, Modeling and Simulation        2007 - 2016

• Delivered model based solutions to business questions and technical issues.
• Enhanced the modeling and simulation group capabilities by developing internal capabilities and leveraging external resources for numerical optimization (scheduling), multivariate analysis and machine learning that expanded the group’s reach and impact.
• Led an analytics study of sales force efficiency that demonstrated a large number of sales calls to stores that could not significantly affect overall volume and resulted in a significant restructuring of the sales force.
• Developed and applied models to predict product shelf life which were used in the selection of packaging across the product portfolio, greatly reducing the product development cycle and minimizing packaging costs.
• Developed experimental and mathematical models of the dynamic behaviors of smoke to aid in design and test the feasibility of product and research concepts.
• Applied physical principles to support the development of potentially reduced exposure cigarettes.

Senior Research Scientist | Research Scientist, 2002 - 2007

• Provided innovative technologically based solutions and breakthrough knowledge through scientific research working in a number of different areas including product development, health science research and sensory research.
• Designed and tested components for aerosol generation systems as a member of a cross functional team. Developed and transferred standard operating procedures for use in clinical and non-clinical studies.
• Provided breakthrough knowledge to support the development of smoking articles and aerosol processes.
• Built technical capability and laboratory resources for the characterization and study of cigarette smoke aerosols.
• Led an interdisciplinary team in characterizing changes in smoke physical and chemical properties to quantify their effects on airway deposition, including management of an external research contract resulting in an understanding of the role of smoking behavior on airway deposition of cigarette smoke.
• Developed a unique dissolution testing system to investigate the role of physical and chemical properties on flavor release from oral tobacco products to develop a model to facilitate new product development.

University of Delaware, Postdoctoral Research Associate

• Carried out cutting edge research to facilitate the development of instrumentation to determine the composition of submicron particles in the ambient atmosphere.
• Coupled an aerodynamic lens system with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer.
• Characterized the performance and operation of the system.
• Developed a method for on-line coating of airborne particles with UV absorbent materials to enhance laser ablation of the particles for aerosol mass spectrometry.
• Developed and applied models of ion motion, fluid mechanics and aerosol dynamics for the design of ion optics and aerosol inlets for aerosol mass spectrometry.

Virginia Commonwealth University, Adjunct Faculty

• Taught Introduction to Chemistry Lab (101 and 102) to over 250 students.
• Presented introductory lectures.
• Tested and assigned grades.
• Supervised (10+) Teaching Assistants, including providing performance evaluations.
• Science Teacher, various school districts in Delaware and New Jersey.
• Worked as a long term and per diem substitute teacher at the High School and Middle School levels.

Commonwealth Laboratories, Inc., Richmond, VA, Laboratory Technician

• Used standard analytical methods to test waste water samples, assisted in the collection of samples from industrial smoke stacks.

Honors & Publications

Credentials-Technical

• Professional Development & Professional Training:
• Basis Statistics
• Design of Experiments
• Project Management Fundamentals
• Project Management Applications: Windows and UNIX/LINUX based personal computers, Microsoft Office, MATLAB, MathCAD, Labview, R, IOT, programming in Python, Perl, Fortran and Visual Basic.
• Aerosol generation and characterization: Condensation aerosol generators, differential mobility analyzers, condensation particles counters, aerodynamic particle sizers, cascade impactors, aerosol mass spectrometers, atomizers, vibrating orifice aerosol generators, thermal diffusion cloud chambers, flow diffusion clouds chambers, expansion cloud chambers.
• Other scientific instrumentation: Time-of-Flight mass spectrometry, Excimer, YAG and dye lasers, GC, GCMS, scanning electron microscopy.

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• Leadership - President, Congregation Or Ami (Richmond, VA), Served on the board of directors and President of the congregation. As the president, oversaw all aspects of the congregation including mission, personnel, budget and fundraising.
• Chair of the Youth and Family Education Committee and active with Fundraising.

Publications and Patents

• 22 publications in peer reviewed journals; American Association of Aerosol Research, Phi Beta Phi National Honor Society, Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society
• 6 U.S. patents granted, 9 published U.S. Patent Applications

Education

• Ph.D. Chemical Physics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
• M.S.   Physics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
• B.S.     Physics, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA