Dr. Alan E. Nelson,Alan E. Nelson is the Chief Technology Officer for Johnson Matthey, where he is responsible for establishing the Company’s innovation portfolio and leading all aspects of technology development. In this role he directs the Company’s global research efforts and partners with our customers to develop sustainable solutions and products. As a member of the Group Management Committee, Alan is an integral member of the executive committee providing leadership to define the Company’s strategic direction, development and future growth.
Prior to joining Johnson Matthey, Alan served as Global Engineering Director for semiconductor technologies for The Dow Chemical Company. He also previously served as Global R&D Director for Performance Monomers, Plastics Additives, Dow Energy Materials and Engineering and Process Sciences in Corporate Research and Development. In these roles Alan is credited with driving new product and process innovation in a number of key market segments including electronic materials, lithium ion batteries, oil and gas, water solutions, transportation and agriculture chemicals.
Prior to Dow, Alan was an Associate Professor and Associate Department Chair in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at University of Alberta. He was awarded Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council/Imperial Oil Associate Industrial Research Chair in Oil Sands Upgrading and was principal investigator for the Centre for Oil Sands Innovation and Alberta Centre for Surface Engineering and Science. He received his doctorate in chemical engineering from
Michigan Technological University and his Bachelor’s degree from University of Minnesota Duluth, where he is also a member of the Academy of Science and Engineering.
Alan is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the Industrial Advisory Committee for University of Minnesota Duluth. He is a licensed professional engineer in Canada.