Q: What is your educational background?
A: "I got a BS in Chemistry, with a minor in Biology from Geneva College, in Beaver Falls, PA. I actually started as an Engineering major, but realized that while I liked the science, I was a lot more intrigued by chemistry and biology.  I found protein interactions particularly interesting which led to more chemistry classes and my eventual interest in polymeric materials. I ended up going undeclared after my second semester at college and just started taking courses that interested me. During my junior year, I was told that I had to pick a major and given my scientific course interest and the fact that I had fulfilled most of the degree requirements already, chemistry seemed the only logical and practical choice."

Q: What made you decide to go to graduate school?
A: "During my junior year, some of my professors encouraged me to consider graduate school. I ended up going to Penn State to work with Harry Alcock. I thought his work was interesting because although he works with a single polymer, he's interested in applications. He was less academic and most of his students went to industry."

Q: What is your favorite thing about your current position?
A: "I get to work on everything from really cool new futuristic front end applications to problems we're having today in our production plants. I get to work with a variety of people, and every day is something new. For example, some of the applications I'm working on are flexible displays, OLEDs, conductive polymers, paper-like displays, "StarWars stuff", like my dad calls it.  It's fun to take something like the Kindle to elementary schools and see how kids respond to it."

Q: What made you want to join Air Products?
A: "I was looking at two companies. I was impressed with the people I met here. They all seemed to enjoy what they were doing, and I liked the opportunities Air Products offered for my development. Part of that was the Career Development Program, which was unique at the time. No other company offered the kind of exposure the program brings."

Q: Outside the Lehigh Valley, who and where do you interact with professionally?
A: "I work with a startup company called E-Ink in Boston.  I travel to St Louis for PRISM membranes, Florida to work with our PACE pilot plant facility.  I also visit with customers around the world to discuss new applications: Malaysia, Germany, the UK, etc."

Q: What do you do outside of work?
A: "I like to spend time with my two daughters. Mya loves playing Memory and Kirsten and I like fishing and training our dog. I also ride Harleys with my wife."

Q: Where is your favorite vacation spot?
A: "We like going to my parents'.  We just play outside, catch frogs, canoe, swim, and go for hikes in the woods."

Q: What's your favorite book?
A: "Cryptonomicon by Neal Stevenson.  It's a historical fiction book on cryptography."

Q: What do you like about the Lehigh Valley?
A: "It's close to many outdoor destinations (the Poconos, the shore) and to big cities (NYC, Philly). It has a good balance of family things and is a good base for a lot of day trips."