Jim Stevens

Biography

  Jim Stevens, Ph.D., has spent much of his 35-year career at Dow developing innovative materials that meet seemingly impossible goals: Durable, flexible plastics that withstand extremely challenging environments, yet are cost-effective and recyclable. A solar shingle that generates more power than competing products at an affordable price (oh, and let’s be sure it can also stand up to the harshest of weather conditions). As he tackles such challenges, Stevens gains insight from nature’s inner workings. “I love applied science,” says Stevens, who can be found during off hours tending to his bonsai trees at home or waiting patiently at a local pond to photograph a specific type of dragonfly. “It’s about peeling back nature’s layers of mystery and understanding how things work at a fundamental level.” Stevens translates his knowledge of nature into new materials that offer key benefits to consumers and manufacturers. “That is what drives me. That is why I could do this forever,” he says. 1,000 Global Patents (and Growing) With a passion for plastics, polymers and catalysis that goes back to his doctoral years at The Ohio State University, Stevens has succeeded time and again in confronting new product needs with creativity. For proof, peruse his impressive (and growing) list of 102 U.S. patents and more than 1,100 global patents. Indeed, Stevens has played a central role in many of the innovative materials that touch Americans’ daily lives, from the soles of our shoes to the dashboard of our car — and even the sustainable wine corks that keep our favorite varietals fresh. But he also contributed to the early development of Dow’s high-throughput research capabilities in the late 1990s, improving upon an idea from the pharmaceutical industry’s playbook. The approach has become a major differentiator for Dow in the marketplace, as it has dramatically reduced the time and money required to bring an idea from invention to commercialization. Dozens of Projects at a Time Today, as Distinguished Fellow of Dow Core R&D, Stevens’ influence expands even further as he’s able to contribute to dozens of research projects underway at any given time. “I’m in the fortunate position of having exposure to all of the problems that Dow R&D is trying to solve and being able to see where the opportunities lie,” he says. Despite his larger role, it’s not uncommon for Stevens to revert into scientist mode and get a “darn good idea” for a new research program to propose. He also works with Dow’s venture capital unit to identify promising startups. In everything he does, Stevens is driven by the need to innovate, which is underpinned by a responsibility to the marketplace. “Dow is unique in its ability to make new and better materials,” he says. “There is no other company like Dow anywhere in the world when it comes to that. It’s all about creating the right properties at the right price.”  

Research Interest