The Warren G. Schlinger Symposium
Senior executives, research and technology managers, and young scientists examined emerging research areas and innovation in the chemical industry. The symposium focused on frontiers of chemical R&D, with plenary and breakout sessions oriented to areas where the chemical industry interfaces with other emerging business sectors.

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Plenary Sessions

Monday, 10 September 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Beyond Benign: The Societal Benefits of Chemical Innovation
John C. Warner, President and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry
When developing a new technology, chemists have the opportunity to consider regional human and natural resources. For example, we can promote regional economic development in communities that desperately need new manufacturing jobs. Chemists can also create new self-reliant supply chains in geographic regions that are suffering economic tragedies. Strategies to help incorporate these possibilities into design at the molecular level are just now emerging and being articulated.

Tuesday, 11 September 2007, 8:30 a.m.
Removing Heavy Metal Contaminants from Water for Health and Profit
Owen Boyd, CEO, SolmeteX
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 40 states have mercury contamination levels high enough to trigger fish consumption advisories. As many as 10 million people in the United States drink water that exceeds the E.P.A. standards for arsenic levels, and as many as 100 million people in India and Bangladesh are at risk for arsenicosis from well water. Yet as much as 95 percent of the treated water in the United States (and even more in developing countries) is cleaned using century-old technologies. There is clear room for advanced materials to make water safer and cleaner; more than that, there is market demand for cleaner water, if the technology is right.

Tuesday, 11 September 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Closing Plenary: CEO Rountable
Andrew N. Liveris, CEO, The Dow Chemical Company; Raj L. Gupta, CEO, Rohm and Haas Company; James J. Barber, Former CEO, Metabolix; Arthur Daemmrich (moderator), Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School
The CEOs of three firms, Dow, Rohm and Haas, and Metabolix, will address strategic issues concerning innovation in the chemical sector. Specifically the CEOs will present their perspectives on the coming decade, especially in relation to research and development, and answer questions on career paths for scientists within industry.

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Breakout Sessions

1. Eco-Friendly Products

Moderator:		Ryan R. Dirkx, Vice President of Research and Development, Arkema
Speakers:		Terrence Collins, Thomas Lord Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University
		Carina Maria Alles, Engineering Evaluations and Sustainability, DuPont Engineering Research and Technology
Description:		Global climate change, diminishing energy reserves, and the possible effects of commerically produced endocrine disruptors are all issues that have recently reached public awareness and gained regulatory attention. Chemical firms have begun to realize that both consumer and shareholder demand exist for more environmentally benign products and processes. Presentations and discussions in this session will focus on the underlying structural flaws in the composition of the chemical enterprise that keep hazardous products and processes on the market for much too long; on the development of products derived from renewable raw materials (e.g., biodegradable plastics and biofuels); products that allow for highly efficient safe removal of pollutants and pathogens from water; products that enable consumers to use less energy (e.g., new detergents); and products that emit fewer contaminants in their use and disposal (e.g., paints and coatings low in volatile organic compounds).

2. Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering

Moderator:		Miles Drake, Chief Technology Officer, Weyerhauser Company
Speakers:		Henry C. Foley, Dean, College of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University
		Paul Bryan, Vice President of Biofuels Technology, Chevron
Description:		As sustainability becomes an economic necessity, fundamentally new chemical transformations must be developed to minimize environmental impact, using green and sustainable chemistry and engineering. Following the principle of "better to prevent waste than to clean up after it," researchers need to replace harmful solvents and improve catalytic selectivity and efficiency in chemical reactions and also provide cost savings. Presentations and discussion in this session will focus on such topics as removing sulfur from fuels, CO2 sequestration, cleaner aqueous processes, new membranes for separation and filtration, and fluorocarbon chemistry.

3. Chemistry of Energy Sources

Moderator:		Michael Altes, Science and Technology Director, Advanced Materials, Dow Corning Corporation
Speakers:		Charles F. Gay, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Solar Business Group, Applied Materials
		Stanley R. Bull, Associate Director for Science and Technology, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Description:		With fossil fuel production at or near its peak, the chemical industry is intensifying its search for alternative energy sources that are abundant, renewable, and environmentally friendly. Methods that show promise include fuel cells, hydrogen fuel, conventional and nanotechnology-enhanced solar systems, wind turbines, methane hydrate from the sea floor, and safer, less wasteful nuclear power. Meanwhile innovations that minimize waste from generation to transmission to consumption lead to more efficiency energy use. Presentations and discussion in this session will focus on the innovative materials essential for new energy sources, especially solar energy, as well as business changes needed to alter our current energy infrastructure.

4. Health Materials

Moderator:		William Fraser, Senior Director, Global Technology Alliances, The Dow Chemical Company
Speakers:		Leonard J. Buckley, Head of Materials Chemistry Research, Naval Research Laboratory
		Angelo G. Scopelianos, Vice President for R&D, Center for Biomaterials and Advanced Technologies, Johnson & Johnson
Description:		Recent innovations in biomedicine and hybrid organic materials offer great potential for new markets for the chemical industry. But very old innovations, developed by biological organisms themselves, are often still superior to commercial products. As they learn more about how biochemistry works, chemical firms are beginning to understand how to mimic and even improve on biology. Bio-inspired materials depend on advanced characterization of biological materials, novel synthesis based on that biology, and sophisticated understanding of an extraordinarily complex health-care market. Presentations and discussion in this session will explore ways in which chemical firms can use their manufacturing and R&D expertise to develop advanced health materials.

5. Electronic Materials

Moderator:		Gary Calabrese, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Rohm and Haas Company
Speakers:		Sharon L. Nunes, Vice President of Technology, IBM
		Rajarao Jammy, Director, Front End Processes Division, SEMATECH
Description:		In some parts of the electronics sector, technical limits on materials engineering threaten to impede the development of new, faster, cheaper, more efficient products; while in other parts of the sector, novel materials are making possible dramatic new applications for untapped markets. Topics at the forefront of discussion include using miniaturized fuel cells to replace lithium-ion batteries; new alternatives or supplements to silicon; novel ceramics for heat management; and the use of techniques from micro-electronics manufacturing for biomedical applications. Presentations and discussion in this session will focus on new developments in semiconductor processing and the challenges of innovating into new markets.

6. Emerging Global Economies

Moderator:		Arthur Daemmrich, Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School
Speakers:		Theresa Kotanchek, R&D Technology Director, Asia Pacific, The Dow Chemical Company
		David Greenley, Global Director of Technology Operations, Rohm and Haas Company
Description:		Globalization and the rapid growth of emerging economies, such as China and India, present dramatic prospects for growth and diversification into new markets and new sites of innovation. As chemical companies seek to take advantage of this growth, they also struggle with such issues as industry consolidation, changing supply chain patterns, regulatory compliance, and environmental concerns that present different challenges in different regional settings. Presentations and discussion in this session will focus on obstacles and opportunities in setting up an R&D operation in emerging economies and managing a transnational research and manufacturing base.