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Mark E. Jones, Ph.D.
A love of science and a passion for chemistry propelled a
farm kid from Virginia to a satisfying industrial career. Mark Jones is Creative
Director at MJPhD, llc, an independent consulting business. He retired in March
2021 as Executive External Strategy and Communications Fellow for Dow Chemical,
having spent a decade on the CTO’s staff. He retired with responsibility, among
other things, for next generation sustainability goals associated with
innovation at Dow.
Mark writes the monthly Technical Thinking column for Design World, in
addition to articles in other publications. Mark is a frequent contributor to
the American Chemical Society, as previous chair of the Midland Local Section,
writing for Industry Matters, hosting webinars, currently serving on the
Communications and Public Relations and National Historic Chemical Landmarks
committees, and former Corporation Associates member. In 2017, he was named a Fellow of the American Chemical
Society, recognized for his commitment to communicating chemistry. Mark current
serves on and is past co-chair of the National Academy’s Chemical Sciences
Roundtable. He is a co-author on the recently released National Research Council
reports on ARPA-E and “Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels in the United
States”. Mark also volunteered his services in creating videos for the American
Center for Life Cycle Assessment in 2020. Mark was a member of the Board of
Directors of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Industrial and
Environmental Section, serving on Communications, Regulatory and other
committees, and was an active member of the American Chemistry Council’s
Biobased Chemistry Network. The White House’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership
was a focus from 2013-15, looking both at technology options and improving
scale-up of new technologies. He participated in a number of World Economic
Forum events, leading discussions around energy and bioproducts. He chaired DOE
review panels for the Office of the Biomass Program from 2007-2011 and continues
to serve as a reviewer for DOE and other organizations. He supports awards that
recognized scientific advancement. He currently serves on the Edison Awards
Steering Committee, served on the R&D 100 Steering Committee, and served or
serves as a judge for BIO's Rosalind Franklin Award for Leadership in Industrial
Biotechnology and Agriculture, ACS's Heroes of Chemistry, the SCI's Moore medal,
the BIG Innovation Award, the R&D 100 Awards and a collection of Dow internal
awards.
Mark is a frequent keynote speaker. His talks include multiple times at
Chemicals America conferences, American Chemical Society national, regional and
local meetings, the 2017 SATA conference, AIChE national and local meetings,
multiple R&D 100 conferences, American Association for the Advancement of
Science National Meetings, the Edison Universe Meet the Innovators Forum, R&D
100 Conference, REFOCUS, American Center for Life-cycle Assessment, Sustainable
Manufacturer, Plastics Recycling, National Academy events, and many
universities.
Mark joined Dow in 1990 following a graduate career that had very little to do
with his ultimate career path. He followed a degree from Randolph-Macon College
with a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado-Boulder where he studied gas-phase
ion molecule chemistry - not an area of great industrial interest. A post-doc at
the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science preceded coming
to Dow. His early Dow career was spent in Catalysis, in what is now Core R&D.
Mark discovered a family of catalysts useful for conversion of ethane directly
to vinyl chloride, and other catalysts for both chlorocarbon chemistry and
alkane activation. Moves to Performance Plastics, Hydrocarbons, Chemicals,
Energy and Licensing R&D, Ventures and New Business Development and the Energy
Storage Devices followed. Mark co-directed the Renewable Chemistries Expertise
Center (RCEC) for over a decade. Mark touched many areas of technology,
including experience in chemical processing, the processing of inorganic
materials, fuel cell development for both stationary and portable power
applications, battery materials, cellulosic conversion, polymer recycling, and
broad technology exploration.
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