Title: Assistant Professor of Practice, Chemistry
Company: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Location: Glade Hill, Virginia, United States
Tim R. Saarinen, Assistant Professor of Practice and Chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in academia and chemistry.
With nearly three and a half decades to his credit, Mr. Saarinen has established a successful career in education, specializing in chemistry. He currently excels as an assistant professor of practice in chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a role he has held since 2022. In this position, he dedicates his time to teaching, advising students, developing corporate networks for student internships, and engaging in research and development. His previous roles include founder and operator of S5 Consulting LLC in Virginia from 2020 to 2022, chief operating officer at Maruho Hatsujyo Innovations from 2017 to 2020, director of operations at OMNOVA Solutions, Auburn, from 2016 to 2017, general manager at Amcor Flexibles Mundelein from 2012 to 2016, commercial director at Amcor from 1999 to 2012, vice president of sales and marketing at ISOTEC from 1994 to 1999, and applications chemist and sales manager at Varian from 1988 to 1994. Additionally, he has one publication with 2,500 citations and holds memberships with the American Chemical Society, the National Academic Advising Association, and Alpha Chi Sigma. He also volunteers with university boards and serves as a math and science trainer at local high schools.
In light of his impressive undertakings, Mr. Saarinen has been honored with several awards, including the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award from the College of Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the Manufacturing Employee of the Month Award, the Worldwide Award for Best Continuous Improvement Project, and recognition for the Most Successful Team for Increasing Business Volume and Profit at Amcor. Laying a solid educational foundation, he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Florida Atlantic University in 1983, a PhD in Physical chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987, and completed his post-doctorate at Cornell University in 1988. He is also certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Dr. Saarinen takes great pride in being the first to develop the theory, build equipment, and create electrophoretic NMR, a technique used for producing better batteries. Recognized as the founder of this technique in a book on flow NMR by Peter Stilbs, alongside his advisor, Professor Johnson, he has been mentioned in numerous review articles. He is particularly proud of completing his doctorate in physical chemistry at the age of 23. He also values his success in creating diverse teams that excel, attributing their performance to his servant-leadership approach. He believes in teaching and empowering his team, allowing them to educate themselves and valuing their various contributions, fostering an environment of empowerment and growth. He attributes his success to his passion for learning and achieving results, as well as his commitment to listening to the advice of mentors and successful individuals.
In the coming years, Dr. Saarinen plans to continue working with Virginia Tech to establish an experiential learning program, that aims to ensure that every chemistry student graduates with real-world experience in addition to their coursework. He also plans to complete and launch the program, after which he intends to transition its management to someone who can continue its development, allowing him to retire and travel more with his wife. In offering advice to aspiring professionals, he emphasizes the importance of having quantitative and concrete goals as stepping stones toward broader, strategic objectives. He believes that having clear, achievable targets is crucial for motivation and directional focus and that students will improve their chances of success by setting and pursuing personal goals.
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