Chemist - R&D, Synthetic

J. Conner Lord Scientist

**** ****** ** ** ******, GA 30080 770-***-**** **********@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Innovative and results-driven Polymer Scientist / Chemist with over 10 years of experience in polymer synthesis, formulation optimization, and application testing. Expertise in developing water-soluble polymers. Proven track record of driving significant increases in new product sales, working in cross-functional teams, and contributing to process improvements. Adept at designing reproducible and accurate testing methodologies, while ensuring compliance with environmental, health, safety, and quality standards. EXPERTISE

● Polymer Synthesis & Optimization

● Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

Technology

● Rheology & Stability Testing

● Surfactant & Formulation

Optimization

● Cross-functional Team Collaboration

● Process Scale-up & Pilot Testing

● Safety & Regulatory Compliance

(OSHA, RCRA)

● Data Analysis & Troubleshooting

● Training & Mentoring

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Kemira Chemicals / Sterling Chemicals, Atlanta, GA 2015 - Feb ‘25 Kemira is a EUR 2.9B global leader in sustainable chemical solutions, specializing in water-intensive industries such as pulp & paper, water treatment, and oil & gas, with a focus on improving resource efficiency and product performance. Oil & Gas division sold to Sterling in February 2024.

Scientist Member of Atlanta R&D’s Polymer and Oil & Gas teams supporting innovation in water soluble chemistries and applications.

● Polymer Synthesis & Innovation: Synthesized novel emulsion and dry polyacrylamide products for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and friction reduction, driving $120M in new product sales

● Technology Development: Developed polymer technologies for high-temperature, high-salinity environments through sulfonation, successfully bringing two new technologies to market

● Formulation Optimization: Optimized surfactant compositions to enhance polymer properties, maintaining performance while reducing environmental impact J. Conner Lord Scientist

1407 Spring St SE Smyrna, GA 30080 770-***-**** **********@*****.***

● Raw Material Evaluation: Evaluated and piloted new raw materials and products for quality and field applications, supporting sourcing and engineering initiatives

● Cross-functional Collaboration: Provided technical insights and training to plant QC teams, improving method consistency and standardization across multiple sites

● Safety & Compliance Leadership: Active member of EHSQ and HAZWOPER teams, ensuring strict compliance with industry safety standards. Authored and updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) annually to align with safety and operational best practices. Managed chemical inventory and ensured compliance with OSHA and RCRA regulations

● Behavior-Based Safety Process: Helped to introduce behavior-based safety process, transitioning the site to a proactive safety culture and achieving a 90% positive behavior reporting rate

● Data Analysis for Safety: Analyzed site safety data to identify trends and improve safety protocols, contributing to risk management strategies and resulting in zero Lost Time Injuries (LTI) in the last 5 years.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Valdosta State University – 2014

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