Surface Coatings for Sales Personnel

James W. Rawlins has held a faculty appointment at the University of Southern Mississippi since 2004. His professional career began as technical director with Highland International, Inc., in Boone, NC, a protective coatings manufacturer. In 2000, he joined Bayer Corporation in Pittsburgh, PA, as a senior research chemist and in 2002, was promoted to technical marketing director for Europe in Leverkusen, Germany. Dr. Rawlins joined Southern Miss as assistant professor of Polymer Science and Engineering in 2004 and was promoted to associate professor in 2009 and full professor in 2018. He presently directs an 8-member research team, has graduated 19 PhDs, and 6 Masters students. He has published 57 peer-reviewed articles; delivered more than 115 scientific presentations, delivered 82 conference papers, and 67 poster presentations; organized and lectured numerous short courses; and holds 17 U.S. and European patents. His research focuses on polymer-structure-property-performance relationships, early detection of materials subjected to weathering, corrosion and corrosion control. He has developed and quantified protective and functional coatings, regularly synthesizes novel materials for use and characterization; and collaborates in matrix materials for composites and adhesives. He earned his B.S. in Polymer Science in 1993 and his Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering in 1999, from Southern Miss.

Storey is currently Professor Emeritus within the School of Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he has held a faculty appointment since 1983. He was named Bennett Distinguished Professor at USM in 2013. He has served as co-Chairman of the Waterborne, High-Solids, and Powder Coatings Symposium annually since 1985. His research interests are in the area of synthetic polymer chemistry, with particular emphasis on polyolefins, especially polyisobutylene-based polymers, carbocationic olefin and anionic ring-opening polymerizations, polymer surface coatings, and biomedical/biodegradable polymers.  He has published approximately 180 scientific articles in refereed journals and is the inventor on 41 granted U.S. Patents.  He has graduated 40 Ph.D. and 6 Masters students.  Storey obtained B.S. degrees in Polymer Science and Mathematics in 1978 from The University of Southern Mississippi, and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science in 1983 from the University of Akron.  He worked at American Cyanamid as a research chemist in 1982-1983, prior to joining USM.