Jamie Cohen

Biography

  A self-described “summer kid,” Jamie Cohen remembers always being outside as a child -; riding her bike, climbing trees and playing tennis -; unless, of course, she was buried in a book. She remembers reading four to five books at a time, leaving them all over the house, much to her mother’s dismay. When asked if she was a geek, a tomboy or a jock, she answers “Yes, all of the above!” The same boundless energy and enthusiasm she exhibited in her youth is still with her today, which probably explains her rapid career trajectory -; from a young Ph.D. graduate hired into Dow’s Research Assignments Program (RAP) only seven years ago to her current role leading a global effort toward developing innovative materials for the electronics industry. “We’re making better materials to enable customers to keep up with technology trends,” she said. “It’s a little bit scary how fast things move -; and very exciting.” It’s unlikely that Jamie will be intimidated by the task. Prior to her current role, Jamie reported directly to the corporate vice president of R&D at Dow, providing assistance in planning and implementation of R&D strategy. She has also worked in Core R&D and served as a project leader for the Dow Energy Materials business. "I Think Science Picked Me" Jamie doesn’t remember exactly when she knew she wanted a career in science. Those were just the classes she was drawn to in high school and college. “I don’t think I picked science,” she said. “I think science picked me.” No matter how she came to her career, she has loved every minute of it. Her job with Dow has enabled her to travel to Korea and Europe, and she lived in China for four months. She’s worked both with manufacturing and in lab settings with “amazing, smart people,” and has worked on exciting new projects like the development of high-voltage lithium ion battery materials to improve the lifetime and safety of electronic and hybrid vehicles. She strongly encourages other young people to consider a career in chemistry. “Science, creativity and discovery are always going to be needed and wanted and exciting,” she said. “You can experience so many things in the world through science.”

Research Interest