Jack Kruper’s interest in science started early in life. In the second grade, while other boys his age were reading comic books, Jack was reading up on nuclear processes and unstable isotopes. “I was very interested in physics at that time,” he said. But he didn’t actually discover his life’s passion until he went to the University of Michigan in Dearborn. “When I started college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in science, even after taking general chemistry. But when I took my first organic chemistry class, I knew that was it,” he said. “I was fascinated by the idea of being able to make anything in nature – or discover new molecules. I was fortunate to have two great professors who were outstanding mentors and helped cultivate my interest in chemistry.” Jack’s interest in organic chemistry led to more than 33 years as a research chemist with Dow, earning multiple awards of distinction, conducting seven years of promising cancer research and authoring 23 peer-reviewed articles. He holds more than 70 U.S. patents, as well as over 750 internationally granted/applied patents. Jack is a recognized expert in renewable feedstock utilization, olefin polymerization, non-sedating antihistamines, anti-cancer radiopharmaceuticals, and carbon dioxide activation. (He also met his wife while working for Dow – Cynthia Rand, who was also a research fellow at Dow, now retired.) With all of his commercial accomplishments, Jack has never lost his fascination for discovery and lab work. “Even after all these years working on many different commercial projects, I still enjoy working in the lab. Wrestling with a molecular concept, or figuring out how to enable a new process – it never gets old for me,” Jack said.

Chemical process engineering chemical safety and management reservoir engineering Chemical Engineering