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Dr. Colleen M. McMahan U.S. Department of Agriculture 800 Buchanan St Albany, CA USA 94710 Email: colleen.mcmahan@ars.usda.gov Biographical Sketch: Dr. Colleen McMahan is the Lead Scientist of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Domestic Natural Rubber project in Albany, California. A native of Massillon, Ohio, she completed her MS Polymer Science at The University of Akron, her Doctorat de Chimie-Physique at l’Université de Haute-Alsace in Mulhouse, France, under Prof. Jean-Baptiste Donnet. At the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, she worked in rubber compound science and later managed the Physical Test Laboratory in support of tire compound development. Colleen joined Advanced Elastomer Systems, L.P. in 1996, and as a Technology Manager led global product development of thermoplastic elastomers. During her twenty year career in polymer science, she has focused on developing an understanding of structure-property relationships in elastomers. She has been particularly interested in development of novel rheological techniques, with application to industrial uses, to advance both the science and the commerce of these polymer families. A career-long member of the American Chemical Society and the Rubber Division, Dr. McMahan served on boards of directors of local sections, and as Area Director at the national level. She currently chairs the Natural Rubber and Resins subcommittee of the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops. |