Mehmet Demirors

Biography

  When Mehmet Demirors was in fourth grade at a primary school in southwestern Turkey, his teacher showed the class how a steam engine worked. “He put the water in the small steam engine of a locomotive,” Mehmet said. “A little while later, the thing started moving and making all kinds of sounds. I was blown away – and that was the beginning of my interest in technology.” Mehmet’s love for technology grew quickly as he explored and read more about all things related to science. “I was always spending my pocket money on technical books,” he said. “I even set a record at my school for borrowing the most books from the school library in a single year.” In his last year of high school, his chemistry teacher demonstrated the nylon rope trick – combining two chemicals in a way that causes polymerization and forms a nylon rope. “That experiment really piqued my interest in chemical reactions. So I went on to study chemistry after high school, eventually earning a Ph.D. in polymer science.” Making an Impact During his 30 years at Dow, Mehmet has worked on a wide variety of polymers that are used in very different applications, from packaging to TV housings to diapers. But one of his favorite projects was creating an improved material for the inside of refrigerators. “I worked on a project to improve the white plastic that is used inside refrigerators and freezers,” Mehmet said. “It was challenging to create a new material that would improve the environmental profile and overall performance of these appliances, but we were successful. At one time we had more than one third of the refrigerators produced in the world made from this plastic. And it makes me smile a little, when I go to the refrigerator at home or look at the appliances in stores. I wonder if those particular models are made with the material I invented. It’s very gratifying to create materials that impact society in a big way.” Following His Passion Mehmet is still fascinated by chemistry and creating new materials. “As a research scientist, I feel I have the most ideal position,” he said. “I can’t wait to go to work in the morning, because I really enjoy developing new concepts and materials. It’s exciting to know that I’ve worked on projects that have been commercialized and are now worth billions of dollars.” He’s also passionate about his work with the Education for Women in Turkey (EWT) Fund, a charitable organization founded by his wife that helps disadvantaged girls pursue an education. “You must find something that you can’t wait to do every day – whatever that may be. Then the rest of what you want to achieve in life will surely come along with it.”

Research Interest