Jack Kruper, Ph.D.

William J. (Jack) Kruper, faculty member at MSU St. Andrews, retired as a Dow Corporate Fellow in 2015. Throughout his 33-year career at Dow, he was involved with Dow’s Renewable Feedstocks Research Program, leading discovery and development efforts in glycerin to epichlorohydrin (GTE), glycerin to propylene glycol, and a portfolio of new projects.

His leadership in the flame retardant program with Dow Building Solutions in the area of non-halogen flame retardants for XPS* and STYROFOAM* provided a series of key options, which have been moved into development and commercial production. Recently, he was involved in the development of non-global warming/ozone depleting, next-generation refrigerant precursors.

He has been recognized for his technical and commercial accomplishments across a broad array of technologies from renewable feedstock utilization, olefin polymerization, non-sedating antihistamines (world-scale AllegraTM production), anti-cancer radiopharmaceuticals, and carbon dioxide activation. His responsibilities included leadership for the delivery of science and technology across chemistry and catalysis focusing on sustainable process and catalysis programs.

He is the author of 23 peer-reviewed articles, 87 U.S. patents (14 of these patents have protected critical commercialized products and processes at Dow) and over 500 internationally granted/applied patents. He has received the 2012 ACS Award in Affordable Green Chemistry and a 2008 ACS Award in Chemistry Mentorship. He is the recipient of 6 Dow Inventor of the Year Awards and The Dow Excellence in Science Award.

He received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in organic chemistry (1981) from The University of Michigan. Prior to his retirement, he was Champion for Dow’s University Funded Initiative at Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin. He was co-chair for the 2016 Green Chemistry Gordon Research Conference and Dow’s first recognized Fellow Emeritus. He currently is a corporate consultant (LLC) for Olin and Chemours.