Dr. Mark A. Shmorhun is a Technology Manager with the Bioenergy Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Mark collaborates with biotechnology companies and national laboratories to develop and mature mid-stage biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower research and development (R&D) with an emphasis on chemical process development and plant engineering and design. He has several lower technology readiness level projects and a variety of scale-up, pilot-scale, and demonstration-scale projects with a goal to produce sustainable aviation fuel.
Mark has more than 20 years’ experience in the specialty chemicals and biochemical industries in R&D, engineering, and business development roles. He started his career at Goodrich in the 1980s commercializing new polymers. He then worked for WR Grace, an internet start-up company, which was a chemical and construction materials enterprise where he led an R&D group in new materials and product development. In 2005, Dr. Shmorhun started work for Delta T, a company that was building first generation ethanol plants around the world and eventually became Vice President of Business Development.
Prior to joining DOE, Dr. Shmorhun was the Vice President of Engineering and General Manager for the Myriant Corporation where he oversaw the daily operation of a succinic acid biorefinery located in Lake Providence, Louisiana. “It was a disadvantaged community, and the facility was hugely impactful. The influx of construction jobs, about 70 full time employees at that facility, was important to that community. It was a real privilege to be there,” said Dr. Shmorhun.
Mark received his B.S. in chemical engineering and M.S. in materials engineering from Drexel University. Mark earned his Ph.D. in macromolecular science and engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William and Mary.