PSTC Tape University

A proven educational experience

Tape University Faculty

Experienced, dedicated Tape University faculty members are active within the tape industry and daily experience the specific skills needed to excel. They share their love and knowledge of the PSA industry with Tape University attendees in a casual atmosphere that promotes information exchange between faculty and students.

Chair, Education Committee	Jim Jianling Ding, Ph.D., is vice president global R & D - liquid coated products at Scapa North America. His main responsibility is product design and process development of pressure sensitive and heat activated adhesive tapes, with a focus on new business development. Ding received his B.S. degree in chemistry at Fudan University, Shanghai, China and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the department of chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. His graduate research concentrated on water-soluble polymer synthesis and characterization.
	Gary A. Avalon is chief operating officer for Chemsultants International. Avalon has been with the company for more than six years. He spent the prior 20 years of his career working for Avery Dennison's Specialty Tape Division and six years with Diamond Shamrock's Plastic Division in various technical and business management positions. Chemsultants specializes in developing and testing pressure sensitive adhesives, specialty coatings and related materials and offers pilot coating, laminating, converting and slitting capabilities as part of its product development capabilities.
	Steven P. Hebert is group leader, coatings, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Division of compane de St. Gobain. He is responsible for strategic planning and new product business growth for the Worcester, MA site. Hebert has more than 17 years experience in the coatings and adhesives industry specializing in the formulation and application of release coatings and pressure sensitive adhesives. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from Assumption College in Worcester, MA.
	Victor X. Lu, Ph.D., is a research associate in PSA Group of Cytec Industries Inc. and has co-authored more than 50 papers in polymer science, including the 2006 PSTC Carl Dahlquist Award winner, New Developmental UV Curable Pressure Sensitive Adhesives. He holds more than 10 U.S. patents on adhesive products and polymer surface modification technologies. Lu received a Ph.D. in polymer science from Sino Academy of Science in 1990 and has worked at the University of Connecticut, International Paper, National Starch and UCB Chemicals.
	Larry K. Post is North America technical service and strategic account technology manager at Ashland Inc. Post has more than 25 years experience in the pressure sensitive adhesive industry specializing in the development, technical service, manufacture and application of solution, emulsion and radiation cure pressure sensitive adhesives. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in chemistry from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. His graduate research was in the synthesis and polymer characterization of new polymerizable herbicide monomers applicable for slow release polymers.
	Roopram Ramharack, Ph.D., is vice president of operations at Adchem Corporation, Riverhead, NY. Prior to that he was the vice president of R&D at tesa tape inc. (Beiersdorf). He also held previous appointments at 3M and National Starch and Chemical. Ramharack has a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from Polytechnic University and has been honored twice with the PSTC Carl A. Dahlquist Award.
	Graeme A. Roan, Ph.D., worked in the acrylics business in both the U.K. and the U.S. before moving to National Starch in 2000. Since then, he has been involved in the pressure sensitive adhesives business in a range of technology platforms, including 100 percent solids UVcurable materials. He also manages programs and develops acrylic and rubber-acrylic hybrid polymers and adhesives for solvent-based systems. Roan received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Strathclyde and his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham.
	Jerry Serra, Ph.D., is vice president, technology, Berry Plastics Corporation and Subsidiaries, Tapes and Coatings Division. After earning his Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Rhode Island, Serra joined what is now Berry Plastics and has spent 30 years in the industry working in roles from analytical bench chemist to vice president. He has chaired numerous PSTC technical seminars, committees and task forces.
	Stan Williams is the technical projects manager at Shurtape Technologies, Inc., Hickory, NC. He is responsible for process development, refinement and new equipment design and start-up. Prior to joining Shurtape, Williams was plant manager for tesa tape inc. for 20 years. He earned his B.S. from State University of New York and an associates degree in chemistry from FJC Florida.
	PSTC Technical Advisor Timothy B. Jensen, Ph.D., received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in chemical engineering, retired from 3M after 40 years of service and has been active with PSTC in all technical committees for over 20 years.