Keith D. Email & Phone Number

Albany, New York, United States

Albany

Directed Product Development, Materials, Design Engineering, Process Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Information Technology departmentsManaged an annual budget of over $5MMParticipated in long-term planning and strategy developmentRealigned Design Engineering department to direct market accountability with new business revenue goalsDeveloped ROI goals for Process Engineering projectsEstablished new technology prioritization strategy

Albany, New York Area

Continued to manage the Research and Development departmentLed commercialization efforts of newly developed products in the Manufacturing and Sales departmentsInteracted frequently with customers to understand and determine product development prioritiesPrepared patent applicationsWorked to obtain and administered government funded research opportunitiesEstablished and managed the Materials Department to include raw material quality assurance, raw material procurement, and commercial material batchingDeveloped training methodology and quantitative productivity measurements for material batching operatorsAccountable for ROA of commercial material batching equipment

Albany, New York Area

Responsible for all research and development equipment and personnelLed new supplier qualification projects and ongoing quality assurance efforts of all raw materialsManaged project portfolio that resulted in over $5MM of gross profit (new business and cost reduction efforts)Directed a team of material scientists and laboratory techniciansProvided technical support to customersResponsible for developing an annual departmental budgetActive participant of the ESOP committeeDeveloped method to account for changing raw material characteristics to improve final product consistency

Albany, New York Area

Led projects that resulted in over $1MM of new businessUsed colloidal theory to control the suspension rheology and homogeneityUtilized current sintering theory to influence grain boundary chemistry/structureOptimized in-situ nitride bonding processWorked closely with manufacturing to implement developmental processes/productsActive participant of the safety committeeAssisted in raw material and finished product quality control

Responsible for conducting laboratory sessions and gradingIntroduced the fundamentals of ceramic engineering and processingTrained students to use industrial processing and testing equipmentTaught proper mixing techniques (wet and dry)

Presented colloidal theory via lectures and laboratory exercisesIntroduced students to wet processingDemonstrated forming techniques such as slip casting, tape casting, extrusion and dry pressingTrained students on the proper use of viscometersDemonstrated use of powder characterization techniques such as He-pycnometry (density), BET analysis (specific surface area), X-ray sedigraph (Particle size distribution), and sieve analysis (Particle size distribution)Taught particle packing theorySummarized proper use of specific volume diagramsGraded assignments and reports

Trained students in proper use of X-ray diffractometersTaught proper phase identification techniquesInstructed solid solution compositional analysis (Vegard’s law and cell refinement)Introduced quantitative analysis using the spiking methodDemonstrated use of high temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) equipmentGraded assignments and reports

Graduate research for Ph.D. degree funded by Diamond Innovations, Inc.Investigated dispersion of cobalt and diamond in various suspension mediums

Developed lead-less glazes for traditional whitewaresAnalyzed glaze composition via SEM, EDS, and WDSEvaluated surface finish using a glossmeterWorked with other graduate students and representatives from CEERWrote monthly reports for CEERPresented findings in a seminar at Diamond Innovations, Inc.

Assisted in teaching foreign exchange studentsCoordinated weekly help meetings for homework and lecture topicsSummarized important aspects of class lectures in help sessionsPlanned an extra weekly help session preceding testsReviewed graded material with students

Collaborated with a local artist to develop a new glazeHelped ceramic artists to understand Terra Sigillata techniquesPresented glaze development and Terra Sigillata techniques during a class session

Worked on a variety of industrially funded projectsTested the compressive strength of newly developed concrete systemsAssisted in pyrometric cone equivalent testing Optimized pressure casting techniques for porcelain dinnerware

Executive Certificate, Strategy And Innovation

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Finance, 3.9/4.0

Thesis: "Does having skin in the game improve hedge fund performance?" Advisor: Hany A. Shawky

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Ceramic Science, 3.9/4.0

Activities and Societies: American Ceramic Society (ACerS); Materials Research Society (MRS); The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society.

Master'S Degree, Ceramic Engineering, 3.8/4.0

Activities and Societies: American Ceramic Society (ACerS); Materials Research Society (MRS); The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society.

Bachelor'S Degree, Ceramic Engineering, 3.0/4.0

Activities and Societies: Materials AdvantageThesis: "Effect of Particle-Particle Interactions on Shear Thinning Exponent" Advisor.