Katherine Hammes

Project Manager:

• Enabled launch of four new materials (65%+ of company resin sales), including expanding product capability with a suite of functional resins for flexible applications or investment casting
• Used data-driven market scoping (over 50% of regular users) and DOE-based formulation mapping to help guide confidential materials innovation strategy
• Introduced product lifecycle management practices, including specification setting, stability testing, regulatory oversight and scale-up feasibility analysis (grams to multiple tons)

Professional Mentor:

• Led expanding team in both materials development and support for the Form 1+ SLA 3D Printer (4–7 teammates)
• Spearheaded technical recruiting across multiple teams (40+ interviews, 300+ resumes)

My first experience working in a non-academic lab, Unilever was a training ground which taught me to appreciate the difference between prototype and launched product. Initially working on a single sub-variant for North America, my role eventually expanded to include developing for regions including Europe & Asia and to mentoring a small team.

Senior Project Scientist
Promoted ~7 years early, skipping level “Senior Scientist”

• Dictated the $500M research strategy for Japan, Dove®’s second largest global market.
• Lead for $300K international plant trial (bench through factory scale-up).
• Mentored a team of 3 which drove a confidential innovation across a $3B+ format.

Scientist
Performance rating in top 15% of company

• Enabled the global formulation approach for a $300M variant of Dove® bodywash in North America and Europe.
• Spearheaded a confidential opportunity across a $1B format with far reaching impact across global surfactant supply chain.
• Oversaw the professional and technical growth of undergraduate interns for two summers.

Beginning academic research the first semester of my Freshman year, I was lucky to have the opportunity explore a diversity of research topics throughout my education and to be guided by multiple amazing mentors.

Graduate Research Project:

• Biocompatible Nanofibers for Use in Microfluidic Systems
  Cornell University, Advisor: Dr. Frey
  Synthesized cellulose nitrate nanofibers via electrospinning of polymer solutions for end use as scaffolding for biological indicators.

Undergraduate Research Projects:

• Silver Nanoparticles as Indicators of Thermal History
  Illinois Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Perez-Luna
  Determined reaction kinetics for batch synthesis of silver nanorods, and built a microfluidic plug flow reactor for steady-state synthesis.


• Supercooling for High Throughput X-Ray Crystallography
  Cornell University (REU), Advisor: Dr. Throne
  Prevented crystalline solid formation through supercooling of cryogenic solutions in thin layer capillary tubes.


• Artificial Kelators for use in Targeted Radioimmune Therapy
  Illinois Institute of Technology, Advisor: Dr. Chong
  Multi-step organic synthesis, creating kelators which would bind with both radioactive isotopes and T-cells.

In addition to my usual responsibilities, I would often work on side projects beyond the chemical formula. Although most of this side work was in demonstration development and remains confidential, a simple example was when I once used a frosting kit and various body wash formulas to test more “premium” shapes for our bottle orifice.

The Inter-professional (IPRO) Project Competition held in Chicago twice each year allowed me to partner with students across multiple majors in intensive, semester-long business projects.

• Silver Nanoparticles as Indicators of Thermal History
  First Place Award, Spring 2009
  Taking research out of the lab and into a product prototype, the team designed a tinted patch with the goal to better predict the risk of expiration of foods or medicines. Based on the degradation kinetics of silver nanorods into nanospheres, the patch would permanently change color at different rates depending on the temperature conditions it experienced.


• Testing and Improving a New Text for Teaching Computer Science (Ruby)
  First Place Award, Spring 2008
  Team Lead: Led revision team rewrite of an introductory computer science text for Ruby. Ultimately, a version of this book was published and is available for sale.


• BP Oil Refinery Expansion
  Second Place Award, Spring 2008
  Partnering with BP to improve the sixth largest oil refinery in the United States, the team designed solutions for retrofitting the refinery in Whiting, IN to work with sulfur-rich tar sands instead of light, sweet crude oil.


• Developing a Microbrewery System
  First Place Award, Spring 2007
  A combination of hands-on fun and serious Chemical Engineering, the team designed a microbrewery system for Illinois Tech's newly reopened, on-campus pub known as the Bog.

In September of 2012, I was chosen for a Unilever global delegation to attend the inspiring One Young World™ Youth Leadership Summit. With the mission of developing solutions to pressing global issues, it is the largest gathering in the world of young people representing multiple countries outside of the Olympics.

From STEM initiatives to Student Goverment to theatrical staging—I became involved in a range of organizations around campus throughout both Undergraduate and Graduate school.

Cornell / Graduate:

• FSAD Scientific Journal Club
President
• Organized meetings among graduate students to discuss research papers and give a venue to practice for research talks.


• Expand Your Horizons (EHY) Science Day for Girls
  Presenter & Volunteer
  • Created and presented science demonstrations to encourage 6th through 8th grade girls to pursue careers in STEM.

Illinois Tech / Undergraduate:

• Student Government Association
  VP of Communications & PR Committee Chair
• Bring Back the BOG campaign successfully raised nearly half a million dollars to reopen beloved on-campus pub and bowling alley.
• Student Government public relations campaign increased student involvement to over one-fourth of all undergraduate students.
• Obtained voting rights for a student delegate on the Faculty Council. Ultimately, this allowed students to co-sponsor new majors such as Astronomy.


• 33rd Street Productions (Theater Troupe)
  Exec Board Member & Actress in six productions:
• Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
• Arsenic & Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring
• Play by Samuel Beckett
• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
• Baklavia! by D.M. Larson
• Death in Character by Stuart Ardern


• Strike Force Bowling Society
  Event Coordinator
  • Organized multiple bowling excursions involving 300+ people.
  • Helped to grow organization to largest on campus at the time with over 700 members.


• TechNews (Student Newspaper)
  Freelance Writer
  • Wrote articles usually focused on campus events or student life.


• Presidential Search Committee
  Student Delegate
  • Involved in process to select the university's fifteenth president Dr. John Anderson.