Joseph A. Kuczkowski

Dr. Joseph A. Kuczkowski Retired, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company 85 Merle Blvd. Munroe Falls, OH USA 44262 Email: docnumone@aol.com Biographical Sketch: Dr. Joseph A. Kuczkowski, internationally recognized for his contributions to the field of rubber chemicals has been chosen for the 2011 Charles Goodyear Medal. The most prestigious award given by the Rubber Division, ACS, honors an individual for outstanding invention, innovation or development which resulted in significant change or contribution to the nature of the rubber industry. Kuczkowski is noted for his elucidation and explanation of the mechanisms of antioxidant and antiozonant function and how these stabilizing materials interact with rubber polymers. These fundamental studies have resulted in the preparation and commercialization of several new antioxidant systems and a very remarkable improvement in the stability of the polymers that contain them. Dr. Kuczkowski received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1963 and a Master of Science degree in Organic Chemistry in 1966 from Canisius College, Buffalo, New York. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in 1968 after working with Prof. Michael Cava. Immediately after his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps during the Vietnam period (1968-1970). He was in charge of the Clinical Chemistry Department of the 6th U.S. Army Medical Laboratory and was awarded the U.S. Army Commendation Medal for his work that improved clinical procedures and data collection. After two years of military service, he spent one year at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Post Doctoral fellow working with Professor Adam M. Aguiar in organo-phosphoruos chemistry. Dr. Kuczkowski joined Goodyear Tire & Rubber as a senior research chemist in November, 1971. His prime research interest is in the area of polymer stabilization and rubber chemicals. He was promoted to section head of Exploratory Products and Processes in June 1977. He served in that capacity until becoming section head of Rubber Chemicals in February 1982. In April 1984, he became section head of Rubber Chemicals & Hydroquinone as his area of responsibility expanded to include hydroquinone and its derivatives. He was promoted to R&D associate in Chemicals & Specialty Polymers in November 1988. He holds 23 U.S. patents in the rubber chemical and stabilization area. He has twelve products or processes in production. This includes two stand alone commercialized products; Wingstay SN-1 is a synergist that finds application in several polymer systems, and Wingstay K is an autosynergist phenolic system that has outstanding antioxidant and anti-gel properties when used in polybutadiene rubber (BR) and in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). Dr. Kuczkowski has over 40 publications on polymer stabilization and has presented numerous technical lectures on antioxidant and antiozonant mechanisms. Two of his presentations received best paper awards from the Rubber Division. Others were invited lectures given at the Gordon Conference, The Eighth Akron Polymer Conference, The Conferences on Stabilization and Controlled Degradation of Polymers at New Paltz, New York and also Lucerne and Zurich, Switzerland, the 1988 IUPAC Conference on Stabilization at Prague, Czechoslovakia, and the IRC-98 International Rubber Conference, Paris, France. Dr. Kuczkowski has published several book chapters. These include: “Effects of Ozone on Tires and its control” in Lewis Publishers’ “Ozone Risk Communication and Management” and “The Inhibition of Oxidative and Ozonic Processes in Elastomers” in CRC Press’s “Oxidation Inhibition in Organic Materials.” A comprehensive publication titled “Rubber Chemicals” issued in the 14th Volume of John Wiley’s “Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering.” A synoptic desk version of this work was also published in “The Concise Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology.” He also co-authored an “Index of Commercial Antioxidants and Antiozonants” that was the 5th Edition of a trade publication circulated by Goodyear Tire & Rubber. In 2000, Dr. Kuczkowski was awarded The Rubber Division’s “Melvin Mooney Award.” He also served for several years as editor of RC&T’s “Rubber Reviews.” During this period, the journal moved up in yearly peer recognition. Dr. Kuczkowski retired from Goodyear in 2001 after 29 plus years of service after the company decided to dismantle its Chemical Division. He continues to be professionally active as a consultant to industry and is also an active member of the Rubber Division Awards Committee.