Chains of Opportunity: The University of Akron and the Emergence of The Polymer Age 1909–2007

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX D polymer engineering leadership Leadership is what drives any institution. According to Polymer Engineering Department Chair Sadhan Jana, leadership is what has brought the polymer programs at the University of Akron to their level of prominence today. He said, “This leadership has not only attracted the best resources to the university , but also the best minds to the university.”4 James White founded the polymer engineering program at the University of Akron, and while White is still an active faculty member, three others have taken over as positions of chair and institute director. From December 1997 until July 2000, Rudolph J. Scavuzzo, the college’s associate dean, was the department’s interim chair, and in 2000 Lloyd A. Goettler became its permanent chair. After studying at Cornell University and the University of Delaware, Goettler began a thirtyone -year career at Monsanto Chemical, where he studied injection molding, thermoplastic elastomers, and plastic alloys. During this period, he became friendly with the polymer professors at Akron. After Monsanto, Goettler worked at Solutia in Florida, researching nylon nanocomposites. As a department chair, his goal was to take his industry experience to develop realworld polymer solutions and applications. He said, “I really appreciate the synergy of marrying fundamental study to its practical applications in research work.”5 In 2001, Goettler also became the director of the Institute of Polymer Engineering. 276 Bowles.267-364 6/16/08 4:24 PM Page 276 After three years of holding down the positions of both institute director and department chair, Lloyd Goettler decided to relinquish some of his responsibilities . In 2004, Sadhan C. Jana became the new head of the department . Jana had first come to the university in 1998, having earned an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Calcutta, a master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, and, in 1993, a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Northwestern University. After completing his studies, he worked on polymer processing properties at GE Corporate Research and Development in New York, where he researched the fundamentals of screw extrusion processes. He came to Akron in part because he wanted to teach, but also because of the potential he saw for its polymer engineering program. Jana believes the polymer programs at the University of Akron have been so successful thanks to leadership that has attracted the best resources and minds in the field to the school. The Polymer Engineering Academic Center has also brought the engineering program into prominence . “The department is very well equipped,” Jana says. “I was amazed by the facilities and equipment and plans for the future.”6 Jana wants to be an integral part of this future and the chairmanship has offered him the opportunity to help shape it. polymer engineering department chair dates of service current position James L. White 7/1/83–12/8/97 Professor of Polymer Engineering; Founding Director of the Institute of Polymer Engineering; Harold A. Morton Professor of Polymer Engineering Rudolph J. Scavuzzo, Jr. 12/8/97–7/1/00 Interim Department Chair; Professor Emeritus of Polymer Engineering Lloyd A. Goettler 7/1/00–10/31/04 Retired Sadhan C. Jana 11/1/04 to Present Professor of Polymer Engineering appendix d 277 Bowles.267-364 6/16/08 4:24 PM Page 277 directors of the institute of polymer engineering name dates of service current title James L White 4/19/1983–12/14/2001 Professor of Polymer Engineering; Founding Director of the Institute of Polymer Engineering; Harold A. Morton Professor of Polymer Engineering Lloyd A. Goettler 12/14/2001–6/30/2006 Director of the Institute of Polymer Engineering university of akron polymer engineering faculty, 2006 name title research interests Mukerrem Cakmak, Professor of Polymer Identification, modeling, and Ph.D., Polymer Engi- Engineering, Director simulation of complex structural neering, University of (UA Site), Center for mechanisms, particularly stressTennessee , Knoxville Multifunctional induced crystallization that takes (1984) Polymer Nanomaterials place during the course of polymer and Devices (CMPND), processing operations of a wide Associate Director of range of polymers subjected to Akron Global Polymer melt as well as rubbery state Academy (AGPA) deformation. The range of materials includes the high temperature thermoplastics and their blends as well as nano particle-filled systems. Of particular interest is the relationship between thermomechanical history applied by fiber spinning, film blowing, biaxial stretching and injection molding and evolved structure and properties. Current activities are...