Dr. Mark Soucek appointed as the next Chair of the Department of Polymer Engineering

The College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Soucek as the next Chair of the Department of Polymer Engineering. Dr. Sadhan Jana completed his current term at the end of June. Please join us in thanking Sadhan for his multiple terms of service and years of hard work as Chair.

From 1990-1993 Dr. Soucek was a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow at NASA-Langley Research Center in the area of high temperature polyimide, films, composites, and coatings. From 1993 through 2001, Dr. Soucek was a Professor at North Dakota State University in the Department of Polymers & Coatings focusing his research on Coatings Science and corrosion resistant coatings.

In 2001, Dr. Soucek joined the faculty in the Department of Polymer Engineering. He was already an integral part of the coatings community in Northeast Ohio, hosting the annual Sink or Swim Coating Symposium at the university while serving from Treasurer to President of the Cleveland Coating Society. Professor Soucek has been on the forefront of sustainable coatings for his entire career, leading the way in reactant diluent chemistries as well rejuvenating the area of alkyd coatings. More recently, Soucek led in developing self-stratifying coatings, new cure-on-command technology, and the development of hydronomers for coatings. In 2018, he was awarded the Sundar L. Aggarwal Endowed Professorship in Polymer Engineering.

Dr. Soucek is a leading expert in the area of coatings and brings valuable experience in working with industries. Please join us in offering congratulations of his success and in supporting him in his new role.