He obtained his Ph.D. in 2006 in polymer and materials engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. Dr. Mittal then worked as a materials scientist in the Active and Intelligent Coatings section of Sun Chemical in London, and as a polymer engineer at BASF Polymer Research in Ludwigshafen, Germany. His research interests include polymer nanocomposites, novel filler surface modifications, thermal stability enhancements, and polymer latexes with functionalized surfaces, among others. Dr. Mittal has authored more than 50 scientific publications, book chapters, and patents on these subjects.