Chemical Engineering: Chemical Product Development, Petro Chemistry, Chemical Formulation, R&D, QC, Product Testing, & Scale Up Expert

Expertise

Summary

Chemical Engineering Master's program graduate and Gordon Engineering Leadership Fellow with experience in petroleum chemistry, organic chemical formulation, toxicological assessment, chemical synthesis, analytical methods including SEM/EDX and GC/MS, prototyping and product design, fuel cell data analysis, project management, phase gate modeling, and database management.

• Research & Development
• Chemical Formulation
• Chemical Engineering
• Process Improvement
• Prototyping-Proof-Of-Concept
• Analytical Testing and Data Interpretation
• Project Management
• Organic Chemical Research
• Process Improvement
• Quality Control
• Training Program Implementation
• Team Leadership & Participation
• Development of In-House Testing
• Toxicological Assessment 

Expert Witness Experience

• Consulting on litigation claims ranging from homicide cases to insurance fraud.

Experience

DSLLC, Sole Proprietor, 2019 - Present

• As a Chemist Providing clients in formulation and chemical engineer.
• Commercial product development.
• Process engineering and scale-up.
• Chemical formulation of new products.
• Manage a private lab on a university campus.
• Hosting and teaching of interns about chemical formulation and engineering methods relevant to current industries.
• Consulting on litigation claims ranging from homicide cases to insurance fraud.

Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, NV, Chemistry Professor, 2019 - 2020

• College Chemistry Professor/ and Student Counselor.
• Teaching introductory chemistry curriculum to 27 students,
• Leading students in laboratory exercises and safety protocols.
• Grading homework assignments and laboratory reports.
• Counseling and advising students on class scheduling and other various resources.

Independent Consultant, Reno, NV, Chemist and Engineer, 2016 - Present

• Formulation of an indoor cannabis fertilizer for an East Coast cultivation operation.
• Development of analytical methods for terpene, residual solvent, potency, and pesticides in cannabis flower/concentrate for MedMen's 45,000 sq ft facility in Sparks, NV.
• Commissioning of an analytical lab for quality control testing of cannabis flower and concentrate for the Medmen facility.
• Writing of SOPs for analytical testing and quantification/validation of results.
• Lab design and commissioning for both analytical instrumentation and extraction processes for various bay area companies.
• Operation of closed-loop hydrocarbon extraction of cannabis concentrate.
• Research and development including the profiling of terpenes and the study of other extraction methods for increasing THC yield in concentrates to 50%.
• Provision of analytical expertise regarding HPLC, GC/MS, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and IR Spectroscopic analysis of cannabis related products.
• Hydrocarbon extraction and distillate processing, training of technicians, and troubleshooting with Extraordinary Extracts.
• Project planning, purchase orders, branding, and design for Extraordinary Extracts brand products.
• Cannabis vape oil formulation chemistry for a private cannabis company.

Blaze Tech, Boston, MA, Chemical Engineer, 2015 - 2016

• Lead the research and development efforts for a heat suppressant foam driven by a compressed air system for military applications including design, prototyping, performance testing of air and liquid speed as well as foam expansion, analysis of results, and delivering report updates to the client.
• Performed toxicological assessment of lethal dose and maximum ingestion of allegedly non-toxic chemicals reported in the high-expansion foam formulation sheet.
• Developed various in-house tests such as additives for temperature point depression, foam heat characteristics, and prediction of the fluid dynamics of foam generator systems.
• Developed safety training materials including oil refinery incident prevention and Hydrofluoric Acid safety in alkylation plants.

Acumetrics, Boston, MA, Fuel Cell Technician, 2014 – 2015

• Performed startup and shut down procedures for all fuel cell test stations and worked with the production team to ensure fuel cells were created to the specifications of the laboratory manager.
• Used solid oxide fuel Cell test stands equipped with data loggers to monitor and record electrical load, power density, electrical output, fuel gas concentration effects, and other electrical performance profiles.
• Developed new testing methods for failure analysis including the effects of heated nitric acid in enhancing porosity of the cell and used surfactants to improve electrical output.
• Performed SEM/EDX analysis for further characterization of fuel cells which resulted in detecting chromium contamination in the initial batch production and Strontium crystallization from the cathode after 8000 hours.

EnerNoc, Boston, MA, Energy Services Project Manager, 2013 - 2014

• Programmed in Visual Basic to deliver a highly automated cloud-based reporting system prototype for streamlining energy services' audit and commissioning reports as well as other key deliverables.
• Project managed a multi-regional team of 13 Energy Services members to build the data reporting system prototype.
• Held biweekly meeting, used Six Sigma methodologies, and developed a phase gate process to ensure the delivery of the prototype.
• Performed market analysis for upper management which proved the prototype initiative could potentially bring in $1 million in new business revenue over the next year upon completion

Chevron Research Technology Co., Richmond, CA, Associate Research Chemist, 2007 - 2013                    

• Managed three separate laboratories and ensured the passing of all audits conducted by upper management, cataloged all zeolite samples, and initiated standard operating procedures per Chevron standards.
• Formulation of organic templates used to grow silica/alumina zeolite crystals within a given pore size and viscosity.
• Performed zeolite synthesis with autoclaves from 23cc to 5 gallons, ran viscosity measurements of zeolite slurries, washed and worked up samples to send out for various analytical tests, calcined zeolites in 1000? F programmable ovens, and further activated zeolites by using an ammonium nitrate ion exchange process.
• Conducted quality control with the Technology Marketing Team on campaigns averaging around $1.7 million.
• Performed constraint index feed testing using a 50:50 mix of n-hexane and 3-methyl pentane that was analyzed via GC/MS.
• Assisted in the commissioning of a new laboratory with 4 automated constraint index test stations with Wonderware software as well as standardization of procedures and training of junior chemists.
• Member of the Hydrofluoric Acid safety team that conducted drills, wrote job safety analysis reports, disposed of hazardous HF waste and stocked proper PPE in accordance to HF safety standards.
• Conducted scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.
• Performed analytical work in conjunction with the Applied Research and Catalysis team for characterization of their samples and the Failure Analysis team on projects such as an epoxy mounted sample of a cross section from a burst pipe.
• Operated a particle size analyzer equipped with a sonicating laser counter to separate and characterize the size of each particle.
• Analyzed ball-bearing wear scars using an optical microscope and measured the size of the scratches on the ball bearing for the characterization of different lubricants.
• Performed wax crystallization which involved the heating and gradual cooling of a waxy sample of crude oil to determine the melting and freezing point of the wax crystals.
• Analyzed contaminated soil samples using liquid chromatography to test for lead content from different refinery locations.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• SBA T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders
• Gordon Engineering Leadership Fellow Northeastern University
• UCLA Alumni Organization
• Gordon Engineering Leadership Fellow
• American Chemical Society Member
• National Small Business Association Leadership Board member

Education

• M.S.    Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston MA
• B.S.     Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA