Interview

"Arkema Inc. is a young, energetic, specialty chemical and materials company that provides an excellent place for employees to explore the scientific challenges of tomorrow"

Bob Barsotti
Research Scientist - King of Prussia, PA - Ph.D. Materials Science Engineering - M.I.T.

What is your job at Arkema Inc?
I am a research scientist who works on the technical and commercial development of our Nanostrength® block copolymers for toughening of thermoset resins for a wide variety of applications ranging from hockey sticks to aerospace adhesives to wind blades.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
I design, perform and analyze the results of experiments to understand the relationship between the chemical composition of our block copolymers, their self-assembled nanoscale morphology in the host polymer matrix and the resulting mechanical and thermal properties of the material. Additionally, I interact with scientists at companies (such as Boeing, 3M, Nike and many others) who are interested in our technology.

What did you do before joining Arkema Inc?
I was a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) where I earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science Engineering.

Why did you apply for a job at Arkema Inc?
I was interested in performing technical and developmental research in an industrial setting, working on the science employed in products that would be on the marketplace in the near future.

How do you see your future at Arkema Inc?
I am excited about the opportunities to continue to practice R&D in an exciting, rapidly growing company. I hope to progress to a position of technical leadership where I can maintain a broad perspective of the research projects ongoing at Arkema.

In your opinion, what are the main qualities that you need to grow your career at Arkema Inc?
Motivation, leadership, creativity, ability to multi-task, and dedication are the key qualities that are needed to succeed at Arkema Inc.

What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to work for Arkema Inc?
I would advise them to use their academic careers to not only master their subject areas but to grow their leadership capabilities and communication skills. I would suggest they bring a sense of enthusiasm and a strong work ethic to the workplace.

What are some of the highlights of working at Arkema Inc?
Opportunities to present my scientific findings to my peers, both at internal Arkema meetings (in the US or France) and at scientific conferences, are my favorite parts of the job. A particular highlight was presenting to an audience of industrial leaders, academics, and government officials at a Wind Blade Technology conference hosted by Sandia National labs.

How would you describe Arkema Inc. in one sentence?
Arkema Inc. is a young, energetic, specialty chemical and materials company that provides an excellent place for employees to explore the scientific challenges of tomorrow.