He received his Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, in 1992, with research in polymer surface chemistry. Current research interests include composite syntheses using renewable industrial materials, environmentally benign recycling of polymer and electronics materials, synthesis of nanoparticle whiskers as fillers/reinforcing agents, and surface modification of the nanofillers to strengthen polymer-particle interfaces to improve tensile, flexural and impact strengths, impact absorption, fire retardance and dielectric breakdown and energy density improvement of composite dielectric (capacitor) films. He has over 35 publications and one patent.