STAC: Science and Technology Advisory Council

Dow's Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) brings a diverse outside-in perspective on science, engineering, and innovation to assure Dow retains its leadership positions and expands its competitive advantage in the materials science industry.

The Council was formed in 2021 and provides perspectives and inputs that may have tactical and strategic influence on Dow's approach to innovation. The council is composed of thought leaders from academia and industry, chaired by Dr. A. N. Sreeram, CTO and senior vice president of Dow, and coordinated and administered by Dr. Gretchen Baier, R&D executive external strategy and communications leader.

Members do not represent any particular organization but bring their expertise and awareness to share with senior Dow managers and the Dow leadership team.

STAC meetings take place over one to two days with nominally four such meetings per year, addressing topics that have been suggested by Dow and the Council members. The format includes innovation platform overviews, technology roadmap exploration, capability development, discussion of practical applications, and sharing of information on emerging materials and technology trends and challenges.

The Council addresses three interrelated factors affecting Dow's success:

Overall corporate innovation strategy through reviews of Dow’s innovation portfolio,
Dow’s innovation capabilities, and
Perspectives on global trends in chemistry and materials science.

Business/portfolio success factors:

The STAC is a great forum for Dow's business management and independent external thought leaders to reflect on a broad range of innovation challenges and opportunities. Council members provide informed feedback and technical insights that complement those provided by Dow’s internal technical staff. Furthermore, the engagement of the Council with Dow’s technical staff yields powerful collective inquiry and thought with the goal to broadly accelerate research and advance solutions to some of the most difficult yet potentially rewarding technical challenges.

Inaugural STAC members:

The following world-renowned academics will comprise Dow’s inaugural Science and Technology Advisory Council.

A portrait of a man Alec D. Gallimore
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Professor, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor
Department of Aerospace Engineering

A portrait of a woman Karen Gleason
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alexander and I. Michael Kasser (1960) Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering

A portrait of a man Craig Hawker
University of California, Santa Barbara
Distinguished Professor, Alan and Ruth Heeger Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Clarke Professor
Departments of Materials, Chemistry and Biochemistry

A portrait of a woman Catherine J. Murphy
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Larry R. Faulkner Endowed Chair in Chemistry and Head
Department of Chemistry

A portrait of a man Jonas C. Peters
Caltech
Bren Professor of Chemistry
Director, Resnick Sustainability Institute
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

A portrait of a man Dean Toste
University of California at Berkeley
The Gerald E.K. Branch Distinguished Professor
Department of Chemistry

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