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Contacts: Rhonda Zurn, College of Science and Engineering, rzurn@umn.edu, (612) 626-7959
Matt Hodson, University News Service, mjhodson@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552
Fernão Silveira, Dow Chemical Company, fsilveira@dow.com, (989) 638-1006
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/30/2012)—The Dow Chemical Company and the
University of Minnesota are expanding their strategic partnership by
launching a first-ever pilot program to improve safety awareness and
practices in the university’s chemistry and chemical engineering labs.
The pilot program will leverage key elements of Dow’s best-in-class
practices to help improve university laboratory safety.
This
unique safety partnership with the university’s Department of Chemistry
and Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the
College of Science and Engineering reinforces Dow’s commitment to
advancing research and development at leading U.S. universities. In
support of the company’s goal to support breakthrough technologies and
ensure a strong pipeline of scientific talent for the nation’s
workforce, Dow announced in fall 2011 it would invest $25 million per
year for 10 years among 11 academic institutions, including the
University of Minnesota.
“At Dow, we see it as part of our
mission to support universities continue the tradition of excellence in
chemical engineering, chemistry, and materials science,” said William F. Banholzer, Ph.D., Dow’s chief technology officer and
executive vice president of ventures, new business development, and
licensing. “The safety pilot program expands the partnership with
University of Minnesota and leverages our strength in laboratory safety,
which is a continuing challenge for universities everywhere. The Dow
safety mindset is based on driving behavior toward incident prevention,
sustained by renewed employee engagement and the responsibility to
provide a safe work environment to our employees.”
University
laboratory safety has improved steadily over the last two decades,
thanks largely to the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Laboratory Safety Act in 1990. However, university
researchers say nurturing and sustaining a safety culture is a challenge
with a transient student population and, at times, inadequate
infrastructure (especially in pre-1990 facilities).
“This
partnership is a tremendous opportunity for us to learn how to improve
the safety culture in our two departments, which is always of paramount
concern as we perform research at the forefront of chemistry, materials
science and engineering,” said Department of Chemistry Chair William
Tolman. “The insights and help we glean by working closely with Dow, an
industry leader in safety practices, will be invaluable in promoting
safe work in our laboratories.”
University administration recognizes
the impact of this new partnership to improve safety and the importance
of partnering with industry leaders.
“Dow’s partnership with the
University of Minnesota is a great example of how today’s companies can
work with universities to accomplish mutual goals while contributing to
our society,” said Eric W. Kaler, president of the University of
Minnesota. “The safety partnership with Dow will help bring a renewed
culture of safety awareness to our laboratories that supports our
mission of education and driving groundbreaking research.”
Successful
elements of this safety pilot program could be leveraged to other
departments within the University of Minnesota College of Science and
Engineering and potentially to other universities.
“We are
thrilled to partner with the Dow Chemical Company in this critically
important aspect of research and education,” said Department of Chemical
Engineering and Materials Science head Frank Bates. “The consequences
of this unique and innovative program will reverberate across
Universities around the country.”
For more information on Dow’s partnerships with U.S. universities, visit www.dow.com/innovation/partnership.
Check out the Dow and Minnesota team up on safety blog by Jyllian Kemsley.