Jan 19, 2022   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Solidia Technologies Names Amitabha Kumar, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of R&D

Solidia Technologies® today named construction materials industry leader and innovator Amitabha Kumar, Ph.D., Senior vice president of Research and Development. Award-winning scientist, technologist, and silica expert, Dr. Kumar brings to Solidia over 30 years of experience in commercialization and R&D, helping lead the development of new processes and materials using cements, ceramics, composites, and polymers.

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Award-winning engineer and ceramics expert Amitabha Kumar, Ph.D., joins Solidia Technologies as senior vice president, R&D, to advance and commercialize decarbonization technologies and sustainable solutions for the construction and building materials industries. (Photo: Business Wire)

Award-winning engineer and ceramics expert Amitabha Kumar, Ph.D., joins Solidia Technologies as senior vice president, R&D, to advance and commercialize decarbonization technologies and sustainable solutions for the construction and building materials industries. (Photo: Business Wire)

“I am thrilled to join Solidia’s innovative team and help develop materials and technologies that offer new, competitive resources to manufacturers of construction materials that will simultaneously modernize the built world and help protect the natural world,” said Dr. Kumar.

Most recently, as vice president, Innovation and R&D at Boral, he led teams developing and implementing new building product technologies, manufacturing techniques, and intellectual property sequestration, including the development of a new inorganically filled cellular foam siding and the evaluation of natural pozzolans, mineral processing wastes, and reclaimed ash for cement and concrete applications. He also previously served as the vice president of R&D at Calstar Products where he developed a technology of Zero-Portland cement paver and brick formulation using Class C Fly Ash, and technical manager of R&D at JH Research USA, a division of James Hardie Building Products, where he played a pivotal role advancing fiber cement formulations.

“As a former colleague of his, I know just how fortunate we are to have an innovator, scientist, and technologist of Ami’s high stature leading Solidia’s R&D team,” said Russell Hill, Ph.D., Solidia’s interim CEO. “This is a very exciting time of growth for Solidia as we build an all-star team of industry leaders to drive the commercial viability of our technology and fulfill Solidia’s mission to usher in the next generation of sustainable building materials.”

A fellow of The American Ceramic Society, Dr. Kumar has over 20 patents, 35 published papers, 25 papers presented in symposia, journals and invited lectures, and he has authored chapters in books on Ceramic and Cement Materials. He is a recipient of the Innovations in Real Materials Award from The Materials Research Society, and he was named the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Young Scientist, Engineering Sciences, an honor bestowed by India’s Prime Minister, in part for his work in low-cost housing. He was awarded an M.S. and Ph.D. in Solid State Science from The Pennsylvania State University, and a B. Tech in ceramics from the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University. An avid cook, with a large kitchen garden, he is also a former cricket player and long-distance runner.

“The work I am most proud of in my career was a project building low-cost housing in India,” said Dr. Kumar. “It is extremely meaningful to me to have a new opportunity to achieve wide impact by advancing Solidia’s solution for the betterment of the planet.”

About Solidia Technologies

Based in Piscataway, N.J. (USA), Solidia Technologies® is a leading provider of decarbonization technologies and sustainable solutions to the construction and building materials industries. Investors include Imperative Ventures, Zero Carbon Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Prelude Ventures, PIVA Capital, John Doerr, BP, OGCI Climate Investments, Bill Joy, Kleiner Perkins, BASF Venture Capital, Holcim, Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures, Air Liquide Venture Capital (ALIAD), and other private investors. Recognition includes: Fast Company 2021 World Changing Idea; Solar Impulse 1000 Efficient Solution; Global Cleantech 100; Inc.'s Top Start-Up to Watch 2020; Best Place to Work in NJ; BP Advancing Low Carbon accreditation; ERA Grand Challenge finalist; Sustainia 100; NJBiz Business of the Year; and R&D Top 100. Follow Solidia on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.