Innovation Day 2008: Schlinger Symposium

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

Plenary Sessions

Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Using Fabrication Technologies from the Microelectronics Industry to Address Unmet Needs in Drug Delivery
Joseph M. DeSimone, Chancellor's Eminent Professor of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

As they develop the next generation of drug-delivery systems with programmable multi-functional capability, scientists strive to translate promising molecular discoveries into benefits for patients. This presentation will describe PRINT (particle replication in non-wetting templates), a remarkable method of top-down particle fabrication that has its roots in the microelectronics industry. PRINT is a high-resolution molding technique that allows the fabrication of precisely defined nanoparticles with control over size, shape, deformability, and surface chemistry.

Thursday, 18 September 2008, 8:30 a.m.
Energy Solutions for a Fossil-Fuel-Deprived Future
Rakesh Agrawal, Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University

The recent rise in oil prices reminds us that the world’s supply of fossil fuels is finite. Alternate primary energy sources must be identified and developed to ensure the stability of the future world economy. This presentation will describe the current landscape of solar, wind, nuclear, and biomass power. It will also review the particular challenges and solutions needed for various end uses of energy. Finally, some novel solutions to sustain the current transportation sector will be presented. These solutions provide a feasible framework for a fossil-fuel-free world and offer exciting opportunities for chemists and chemical engineers to contribute to the grand challenge of energy.

Thursday, 18 September 2008, 4:00 p.m.
Closing Plenary: Executive Roundtable
Arthur Daemmrich (moderator), Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School; Bill Greggs, Retired Director of Global Sustainability, Procter and Gamble Company; Catherine T. Hunt, Leader, Technology Partnerships, Rohm and Haas Company; Scott A. Mobley, Research Fellow, Sustainability and Environment R&D, The Clorox Company; Anne Wallin, Director of Sustainability, The Dow Chemical Company

The environmental regulatory picture is shifting dramatically from the aggressive federal rulemaking in the 1980s and 1990s to “de facto regulation” by consumers and major marketers. Big Box retailers have implemented their own sustainability initiatives, putting pressure on the chemical supply chain to develop environmentally friendly products. Executives along that supply chain will offer insights into future trends and suggest innovative solutions.

Breakout Sessions

1. Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering

Moderator:		Gary Kozerski, Health and Environmental Sciences, Dow Corning Corporation
Speakers:		Eric J. Beckman, Chief Scientific Officer, Cohera Medical
		D. Tyler McQuade, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Description:		As sustainability becomes an economic necessity, fundamentally new chemical transformations must be developed using green and sustainable chemistry and engineering to minimize environmental impact. 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 that also provide cost savings. Presentations and discussion in this session will focus on topics such as removing sulfur from fuels, CO2 sequestration, cleaner aqueous processes, new membranes for separation and filtration, and fluorocarbon chemistry.

2. Electronic Materials

Moderator:		Susan Fitzwater, Scientist, Computational Chemistry Group, Rohm and Haas Company
Speakers:		Nick Pugliano, Research Scientist, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials
		Rao Varanasi, Senior Technical Staff, IBM Corporation
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.

3. Chemistry of Energy Sources

Moderator:		Thomas Upton, Research Manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Speakers:		Rakesh Agrawal, Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University
		Jeffrey S. Beck, Manager, Corporate Strategic Research, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company
Description:		With fossil fuel production at or near its peak, the chemical industry is intensifying its search for alternative energy sources that are more 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 efficient 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
		Alan S. Rudolph, Chief Executive Officer, Adlyfe
Description:		Recent innovations in biomedicine, and hybrid inorganic and 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. Emerging Global Economies

Moderator:		James Alder, Vice President, Operations and Technical, Celanese
Speakers:		Yuguo Ma, Vice Dean, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
		Zhengang Xu, Director and Research Professor, China Coal Research Institute, Beijing Research Institute of Coal Chemistry
Description:		Globalization and the rapid growth of emerging economies present dramatic prospects for growth and diversification into new markets and new sites of innovation. China today boasts cutting-edge universities, world-class industrial research centers, and a string of technical institutes that cross the country and touch virtually aspect of applied chemistry and materials science, from energy, to construction, to manufacturing process. Presentations and discussions in this session will focus on two examples of leading-edge academic and institutional research in China. The two presenters will speak to the progress made in their areas of technology, their interactions across the technology arena, and the changes they have seen and foresee for technology in China.