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Date: Wednesday, February 17th 2016 

Time: 11:00 AM 

Location: Building 4, Room 125

 

 

This presentation briefly reviews the importance of chemical innovations in the global economy through examples of laboratory discoveries, both composition and process, used to create high performance products for industrial applications. The importance of understanding the relationship between material structure, application performance and industrial processing methods will be illustrated through these examples. 

 

A further component of the presentation is the highlighting of an innovative approach that is underway in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the transformation of new discoveries into successful new products.  This initiative includes formation of a new KSA company that not only focuses on developing new products, but, also focuses on the development of skills and processes required for product innovation conducted by KSA scientists, engineers and business professionals.  The representative methods, activities and outcomes associated with this new initiative will be described and discussed. 

 

 

Dennis Gilmore is the Executive Director for the Saudi Arabia Advanced Research Alliance (SAARA) and the company RPD Innovations (aka Research Product Development Company) formed by the alliance.  Prior to RPD Innovations Dennis led innovation, technology and business efforts at several major global chemical companies including PPG Industries, Royal Dutch Shell and Morton Thiokol (Dow Chemical).  His roles included positions as Global Director of R&D for several business units that in total involved more than 250 scientists at over 10 international laboratories.  His responsibilities included:

 

1. Leading the conceptualization, development and commercialization of new products;

2. Driving redesigns of global organizations and work processes to accelerate the pace and success rate of new product commercialization;

3. Selecting and prioritizing the R&T portfolio and determining resource assignments required to deliver growth in new products necessary for an aggressive business growth strategy and

4. Serving as the key technology representative on the business executive leadership team.

 

Gilmore's experience spans multiple industrial sectors including automotive, aerospace, electronics, commercial and residential construction, consumer products, general industrial, oil transportation, wind energy and energy production industries.  He has travelled extensively throughout the world for business activities and spent roughly three years of his professional career outside the United States on extended international special assignments. Gilmore has been a strong proponent of technology scouting and open innovation activities on a global basis for the past 15 years.  Included in these activities is the corporate funding of numerous research projects at University and Governmental facilities in China, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, France, Belgium, England, Australia and the US.  Dennis also led the in-licensing of numerous technologies from Japan, Australia and the US as well as out-licensing to JV partners in Taiwan, China, Japan, India and France. Dennis has a PhD in Chemistry from Duke University, more than 20 publications and patents and has participated frequently in international technical and business conferences.

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Courtesy: SAICSC- ACS