I'm currently taking a career break in the MSx program at Stanford Business for personal/professional growth with a focus lithium-ion battery diagnostics & circularity. Want to chat about MSx or circular economies? Book a time with me here: https://calendly.com/jkao1------Prior to MSx, I was an experienced leader with 10+ years of hardware R&D and project management experiences. Through effective collaboration and leadership, I've invented and productized a wide range of state-of-the-art polymer nanocomposite materials for next-gen consumer electronics (5+ commercial products & 6+ granted patents). Outside of work, I'm an enthusiastic volunteer for career coaching and waste management.
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Ceo And Co-FounderMagnefyPalo Alto, Ca, Us
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Stanford Impact Founder FellowStanford University Graduate School Of Business Jun 2024 - PresentStanford, Ca, Us• Won the prestigious SIF-Eco fellowship through a competitive and rigorous selection process to build high-impact climate startups. -
Msx Graduate StudentStanford University Graduate School Of Business Jul 2023 - Jun 2024Stanford, Ca, Us• In-depth market research on lithium-ion battery recycling/repurposing, copper/aluminum recycling, and food/agricultural waste upcycling.• Early-stage angel and impact investments in the climate tech space, focusing on energy storage and critical minerals circularity startup sourcing and due diligence. Investments include Mobius Solutions and Raya Power.
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Technical Program ManagerMeta May 2022 - Jun 2023Menlo Park, Ca, Us• Managed 40-people program productizing novel optical film technologies for next-gen VR/AR devices• Devised strategic roadmap to transform image quality and form factor of VR/AR devices• Liaised with strategic vendors to develop key capabilities and enable high-volume manufacturing• Supervised liquid crystal film TPM team to deliver program milestones -
Engineering ManagerApple 2020 - 2022Cupertino, California, Us• Led 10-people R&D team innovating state of the art optical materials for future AR/VR devices• Spearheaded and managed partnership with strategic vendors to enable future AR/VR roadmap• Implemented agile R&D methodology with cross-functional leaders to improve efficiency by 40%• Recruited 4 scientists and cultivated 2 tech leads in 2 years -
Senior Materials ScientistApple 2018 - 2020Cupertino, California, Us• Innovated state of the art materials demonstrating feasibility for future AR/VR technologies• Solved development and manufacturing blockers with innovative solutions that led to high financial and user impacts• Trained and supervised junior chemists to establish end-to-end material QA/QC protocols for cross-functional R&D & pilot manufacturing
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Research ScientistCarbon 2017 - 2018Redwood City, Ca, Us• Invented fluorinated polyurethane and thiol-siloxane materials for chemical resistant, 3D printed consumer electronics parts• Managed sampling with two hearing aid device companies• Conducted holistic material feasibility evaluation and participated in competitive proposal review process to steer product development & business diversification decisions -
Associate R&D ManagerThe Dow Chemical Company 2016 - 2017Midland, Michigan, Us• Promoted to lead cross-functional product development activities to bring my flexible hardcoat invention from lab to market that generates healthy revenue • Supervised junior chemists to support customer sampling with Samsung, LG, Apple, and Huawei• Managed QA/QC development to support scale-up -
Senior EngineerThe Dow Chemical Company 2014 - 2016Midland, Michigan, Us• Developed flexible hardcoat materials for foldable displays and transferred the technology from Core R&D to Dow Electronic Materials business for product development• Conducted materials R&D and initiated research proposals to support various business opportunities: (1) Flexible hardcoats for displays (Dow R&D Award, 3 granted patents); (2) Anti-frosting coatings for automotives; (3) Anti-fouling RO membranes (Dow R&D Award, 1 patent application); (4) Water-soluble polymer films for packaging (1 granted patents); (5) Taste & odor control in plastics
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Co-FounderTechnology Entrepreneur Club At Berkeley 2014 - 2015• Led volunteers to organize monthly workshops/networking events for Cal alumni & student entrepreneurs to cultivate innovations and entrepreneurship in Cal networks
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Graduate Research AssistantBerkeley Lab 2009 - 2014Berkeley, Ca, UsSupervisor: Prof. Ting Xu• Invented the world’s fastest process to self-assemble anisotropic optical material in 1 minute with 10+ authored journal papers, 1 granted U.S. patent, and two news highlights at LBNL • Led the joint research program among different universities• Supervised 4 under-represented undergraduate researchers who went on to pursue Ph.D. studies at Stanford, MIT, and Cambridge -
Graduate Teaching AssistantUniversity Of California, Berkeley Aug 2011 - Dec 2011Berkeley, Ca, Us• Taught a graduate-level semiconductor materials class with Prof. Oscar Dubon in Fall 2011• Designed exam and homework questions with the professor and hosted weekly office hour -
Undergraduate ResearcherUniversity Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign 2008 - 2009Champaign, Il, UsProject: Fabrication of Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Arrays for Field-Effect TransistorsSupervisor: Prof. John Rogers in Illinois MSE• Engineered the CVD synthesis for ultra-dense arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes • Fabricated and examined the performance of single-walled carbon nanotube based field effect transistors -
Reu Summer InternNanyang Technological University May 2007 - Aug 2007Singapore, Singapore, SgProject: Surface Modification of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes with TiO2 Nanoparticles using Supercritical CO2 for Hybrid Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Supervisor: Prof. Xiao Hu in NTU MSE• Optimized the synthesis of monodisperse TiO2 nanoparticles using supercritical CO2• Evaluated the performance of the solar cells containing TiO2 nanoparticle modified carbon nanotubes
Joseph Kao, Ph.D. Education Details
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Stanford University Graduate School Of BusinessM.S. In Management For Experienced Leaders (Msx) -
University Of California, BerkeleyPh.D. In Materials Science & Engineering
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University Of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignB.S. In Materials Science & Engineering - Highest Honors (Polymer Concentration & Math Minor)
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Taipei Municipal Jianguo High SchoolEngineering Science
Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph Kao, Ph.D.
What company does Joseph Kao, Ph.D. work for?
Joseph Kao, Ph.D. works for Magnefy
What is Joseph Kao, Ph.D.'s role at the current company?
Joseph Kao, Ph.D.'s current role is CEO and Co-Founder.
What schools did Joseph Kao, Ph.D. attend?
Joseph Kao, Ph.D. attended Stanford University Graduate School Of Business, University Of California, Berkeley, University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School.
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