Robert Duan 段刚

Robert Duan 段刚

Ph.D., Polymer Chemistry, 1997

Robert Duan (Gang), who was born in Shanghai, immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1986. In 1992, he was admitted to the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota “with remarkable scores” and received a doctoral degree in polymer chemistry in 1997. He worked as the vice-chairman of the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars for three years.

In 2008, he joined Valspar and has since been dedicated to pushing forward research in green, environmental-friendly, low-carbon and water-based paint, and the promotion of new products and technologies of water-based paint. In particular, he devoted himself to researching water-based paint technology. In May 2012, Duan received the honor of “Ten Experts Leading in Waterborne Technology in China” for his contribution to waterborne paint. In April 2013, Duan became the first Chinese Global Technical Director at Valspar.

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段刚,1968 年出生于中国上海。1986 年随家庭移居美国。1992 年以优秀的成绩考入明尼苏达大学化学系,1997 年毕业获得高分子化学博士学位。段刚博士在校期间,踏实勤奋,成绩优秀, 并多才多艺;在校期间曾经有三年担任中国学生学者联谊会副会长. 段刚博士于 2003 年底被公司选中派回中国支持其发展。

2008 年在加入美国威士伯(Valspar)涂料公司后,其一直致力于推动绿色环保低碳水性涂料的研究及水性涂料新产品、新工艺的推广,尤其在水性涂料技术研究、技术创新和水性涂料的产品和工艺推广方面不遗余力,并卓有成效。2012年5月,鉴于对涂料水性化推动的重大贡献,段刚博士获得“引领中国水性化技术进步十大专家”的称号。段刚博士于2013年四月被美国威士伯公司破格提升为全球技术总监 (Global Technical Director),这是美国威士伯公司 200多年历史上第一位中国人成为全球技术总监。