John R. Dorgan

John R. Dorgan is a tenured Professor and inaugural Lamp-family endowed chair holder in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, College of Engineering, at Michigan State University. A globally recognized expert in sustainable polymers and composite materials, he focuses on low-cost, recyclable wind-turbine blades, biomass-derived monomers, and advanced plastics upcycling technologies. He previously spent 23 years at the Colorado School of Mines, directing the multi-institutional C2B2 center and serving as technical lead for the federal IACMI consortium.

Education

• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, 1991
• B.S., Chemical Engineering (summa cum laude), University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1986
• Postdoctoral studies, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany

Research Interests

Dorgan’s scholarship integrates molecular-level polymer science with large-scale process design to create sustainable material solutions. His group develops bio-based and recyclable thermoplastic resins for wind-turbine composites, investigates chemorheology and reaction kinetics of polymer melts, and pioneers chemical upcycling routes that transform waste PET, PE, and biomass into high-performance nylons, aramids, and engineered plastics. Recent thrusts include biomimetic chemocatalytic cascades that control polymer degradation and solvent-free reactive extrusion for mixed-plastic recycling.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (1995)
• Hertz Fellowship, UC Berkeley
• Inaugural Lamp Family Endowed Professor (2014)
• Past President, Bioenvironmental Polymer Society

Research Funding & Leadership

Dorgan has secured more than $10 million from NSF, DOE, EPA, USDA, and REMADE Institute. He currently leads two active DOE grants on upcycling polyethylene into nylons and on circular-economy polymer reincarnation, and he co-directs the multi-university EFRI E3P program.

Labs & Collaborations

At MSU, Dorgan heads a polymer processing and characterization laboratory equipped for reactive extrusion, rheometry, and composite fabrication. He maintains active collaborations within IACMI, REMADE Institute, and a network spanning Colorado School of Mines, UC Boulder, Colorado State University, NREL, and several industrial partners.