(See Projects story on Thermoplastic Engineering Design.)

Where are you from originally?
From Mattoon, Illinois. I went to school at Champagne-Urbana, then to Minnesota. I’ve spent my life wandering around the Midwest.

Why did you study chemical engineering?
I started college as a chemistry major. But as the saying goes, if you want to make just a few grams of a substance, be a chemist; if you want to make tons, be a chemical engineer. I really like the fields of processing and manufacturing.

How did you end up at GM?
I wrote my thesis on flow of polymer melts. At that time, GM was the world’s largest producer of plastic parts and we still use a tremendous amount. Plus I was excited about joining the auto industry. I think people should be interested in the final product their company makes as well as their own area of research.

What project did you tackle first?
I started by looking at new elastomers for soft bumpers, which are called fascias. Another project that has cropped up in my career at various times is trying to eliminate the paint shop through the use of dry paint films or molded-in color panels – in other words, techniques where we do not have to spraypaint parts. That continues to resurface as something we need to focus on.

What has been your research focus lately?
Developing technologies to predict the performance of plastic and composite components. We started with short-fiber-filled systems and now we’re trying to use the techniques with longer fibers and more structural composites. This involves the interaction of the part material properties and geometry with the manufacturing process.

What excites you about your research?
The people I work with. As we see accomplishments and make discoveries, it really helps to motivate us.

Which of your accomplishments makes you most proud?
The tremendous strides in the technology that we were able to accomplish with the Thermoplastic Engineering Design program. Also, part of our group worked on the composite pickup box, and I’m very proud of the efforts that resulted in its development and production.

What do you do when you get to the office in the morning?
I get a cup of coffee and sit down with members of the group to informally discuss projects, where we’re going, what’s happening, what’s the latest in the area. Then I answer all the e-mails that have accumulated. I also try to field as much paperwork as I can, so that the members of my group can actually do research.