University Park, PA — The 2024 Richard E. Tressler Lecture in Materials will be held at 3:05 p.m. Thursday, March 14, in 111 Wartik Laboratory on the Penn State University Park campus. Robert J. Kumpf, managing director at Deloitte, will deliver the lecture, “The long history and bright future of applied materials science.”

A reception featuring light refreshments will precede the lecture from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. in the Steidle Building Atrium, providing an opportunity to meet the speaker and engage in informal conversations.

Kumpf's lecture will draw on his extensive career experiences. He brings more than 30 years of expertise as a chemicals and specialty materials executive, with a focus on innovation leadership, corporate change initiatives, start-up company growth and funding, and open innovation.

As a chemicals and specialty materials executive at Deloitte Consulting LLP, Kumpf assists clients in the chemicals and specialty materials sector, and broader manufacturing, focusing on strategy, innovation and leading company transformations.

Kumpf formerly was employed at Bayer MaterialScience, now Covestro. Kumpf held key roles in the company, serving as vice-president of plastics technology, vice-president of future business in the Americas and chief administrative officer. Previous positions include chief operating officer at Plextronics and chief technology officer at Elevance Renewable Sciences.

Kumpf is active in public, private and academic partnerships, serving on the boards of the Industrial Research Institute, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center. He currently serves on the Penn State Department of Materials Science and Engineering’s External Advisory Board.

Kumpf earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in materials science and engineering from Penn State. He also completed the Oxford University business economics program.

The R.E. Tressler Award will be presented to Kumpf during the lecture. Named after Richard E. Tressler, who was an international leader in the development of high temperature materials and served as head of Penn State's Department of Materials Science and Engineering from 1991 to 2001, the award honors Tressler's significant contributions to the field.

The lecture is free and open to the public.