People

NDSU’s researchers are experts in their fields, with significant industry, academic and laboratory experience.

Dr. Gordon Bierwagen - CSP Soft Coatings, Director
Dr. Bierwagen has been involved in R&D in coatings since his work at Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio. His experience also includes 16 years in a variety of positions with Sherwin-Williams Research Center, Chicago. He also served as director of R&D for the Decorative Films Division of Avery, Inc., Schererville, Ind. Dr. Bierwagen joined NDSU’s Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials in 1989, serving as chair for seven years. At NDSU, Dr. Bierwagen has been the leader in the invention of a new method of protecting aluminum alloys against corrosion. An ongoing research thrust in his group has been the development of quantitative lifetime prediction techniques for corrosion protection, and the development of quantitative, objective techniques for the accelerated testing of coatings. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry and mathematics from Valparaiso University, a Ph.D. degree in physical chemistry from Iowa State University, and did post-doctoral research at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Doug Schulz - CSP Hard Coatings, Director
Dr. Schulz serves as senior research scientist at NDSU’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering. He received a B.S. in chemistry from NDSU and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Northwestern University under Professor Tobin Marks. Schulz gained expertise in the development of printable inks for electronic material coatings during his tenure at National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colo., with research projects on printed solar cell and superconducting materials. Schulz was leader of the sensors and electronic materials group while at CeraMem Corporation, Waltham, Mass, where he focused on the development of plug-in technologies to augment electronic materials manufacture. At CNSE, he manages programs in Flexible Microelectronics and Hard  Coatings. An adjunct professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department, he holds four U.S. patents and has authored 73 publications.

Mr. Dennis K. Anderson - CSP Assistant Vice President of Business Development
and Industry Relations
Mr. Anderson’s experience includes private sector research and development of biotechnology products, bio-pharmaceuticals, and other specialty chemicals, intellectual property, licensing and patenting, entrepreneurial start-ups, technology transfer, commercialization of healthcare technologies, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory activities, preclinical and clinical research, and sponsored research in corporate and academic settings.

 

Dr. Eng. Dante Battocchi - CSP Soft Coatings, Associate Director
Dante Battocchi, Dr. Engineering, received a doctor degree in materials engineering from the University of Trento in Trento, Italy, and a master’s degree in polymers and coatings from NDSU. He was previously a research associate in the NDSU Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials where he served as technical manager in the durable hybrid coatings program. Battocchi’s work includes development and optimization of magnesium-rich primer for chromate-free protection of aluminum alloys, as well as electrochemical analysis and characterization of protective coatings. His published work includes articles on magnesium rich primers in journals such as Corrosion Science and numerous conference proceedings. He previously served as an agent with the Italian State Police.

Dr. Neena Ravindran - CSP Soft Coatings, Research Scientist
Dr. Neena Ravindran is a research scientist at the NDSU Center of Excellence for Surface Protection. She received a B.Sc. Technology in Paints degree from Mumbai University, India, in 1995. Ravindran also worked for ICI India Ltd., Paints Business in various capacities for five years. She earned her Ph.D. in Coatings and Polymeric Materials from North Dakota State University in 2006 and worked on radiation curable coatings and radiation curable nanocomposites for the packaging of flexible electronics. Her previous experience includes a position as a research engineer at the NDSU Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, working on flexible power sources.

Mr. Rob Sailer - CSP Hard Coatings, Lead Engineer
Mr. Sailer obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from NDSU, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He previously worked at Valspar, Minneapolis, Minn., a global leader in coatings. Sailer’s work assisted in the development of two patented processes for Valspar. He also worked at Donaldson Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., and was responsible for development, qualification and quality monitoring of new filtration media. Sailer joined NDSU’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering in 2004. He currently supports research on durable hybrid coatings, gun barrel coatings, laser cladding, and other hard coatings programs.