During a 26-year career with Dow Chemical Co., which culminated with being named Chief Scientist of Dow Performance Plastics & Chemicals, Dr. Pak-Wing Steve Chum has become a world-recognized expert in the material science of semicrystalline polymers.

He may be best known for his work as a key inventor of Insite metallocene-based polyolefin technology, resulting in the development of a number of new polyolefin materials used in food and specialty packaging, automotive products, and other durable applications.

Insite received the 2002 U.S. National Technology medal. Early work in polymers focused on development of plastics foams. Dr. Chum is a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

Dr. Chum grew up in Macau and received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Hong Kong Baptist College, completed graduate studies in Chemistry at Northern Michigan University, earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Oregon State University, and did post-Doctoral Research at Kent State University. He resides in Lake Jackson, TX.

Other achievements:

Received the Herbert H. Dow medalGiven ACS Outstanding Scientific Achievement awardDeveloped product design software that drastically reduced the time to develop new polyolefin productsReceived National U.S. Inventor of the Year awardHonored with several R&D 100 awards