Dr. William (“jack”) J. Kruper, Jr.

Biography

  Jack Kruper’s interest in science started early in life. In the second grade, while other boys his age were reading comic books, Jack was reading up on nuclear processes and unstable isotopes. “I was very interested in physics at that time,” he said. But he didn’t actually discover his life’s passion until he went to the University of Michigan in Dearborn. “When I started college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in science, even after taking general chemistry. But when I took my first organic chemistry class, I knew that was it,” he said. “I was fascinated by the idea of being able to make anything in nature – or discover new molecules. I was fortunate to have two great professors who were outstanding mentors and helped cultivate my interest in chemistry.” Jack’s interest in organic chemistry led to more than 33 years as a research chemist with Dow, earning multiple awards of distinction, conducting seven years of promising cancer research and authoring 23 peer-reviewed articles. He holds more than 70 U.S. patents, as well as over 750 internationally granted/applied patents. Jack is a recognized expert in renewable feedstock utilization, olefin polymerization, non-sedating antihistamines, anti-cancer radiopharmaceuticals, and carbon dioxide activation. (He also met his wife while working for Dow – Cynthia Rand, who was also a research fellow at Dow, now retired.) With all of his commercial accomplishments, Jack has never lost his fascination for discovery and lab work. “Even after all these years working on many different commercial projects, I still enjoy working in the lab. Wrestling with a molecular concept, or figuring out how to enable a new process – it never gets old for me,” Jack said. Cultivating the Next Generation of Scientists Just like the professors who mentored him in college, Jack is now well-known for cultivating a passion for discovery with the next generation of scientists. For many years, he led “Friday Afternoon Experiments” – inspiring other researchers at Dow to join him in the lab on Fridays to try out new ideas. More than a few of those Friday experiments eventually turned into commercial projects. He also championed Dow’s University Funded Initiative at Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin to enhance relationships with professors and graduate students, while providing funding for research of promising new technologies. “My advice to young scientists today is first to realize that success in any field starts with technical prowess and a passion for discovery,” Jack said. “I tell them you won’t have a eureka in the lab every day. There’s a lot of hard, sweaty work that must be done in the lab to be a successful researcher. “At the same time, to grow and move forward in your career, I let young scientists know that they can’t do it alone. It’s essential to be able to put together a team of people from many different disciplines, articulate your goal, and get others excited about accomplishing that goal. Research projects are so complicated today, scientists need to dig deep and cultivate many different relationships to be successful and create value.”

Research Interest