Mrunal Thatte, Ph.D.

I am a professional in the coatings, polymers, and materials industry. During my time as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Akron and my time in Industry, I have done extensive research in and practiced the fields of polymers, lean manufacturing, novel coatings and incorporation of renewable materials in commercial products. I have spent some time as a consultant streamlining manufacturing processes to allow companies to compete on a global scale by finding ways to lower the cost of manufacturing without affecting product performance or the quality. As such I have helped companies to lower costs and increase profit margins by up to 20%, by implementing cost-cutting strategies via incorporation of newer technologies, effective materials and a strategic manufacturing approach.

My Doctoral work at LSU (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) focused on polymer research developing potent antibacterial materials from renewable resource for application in the healthcare industry. Prior to that, my Masters thesis work involved research in organic synthetic methodologies.