February 2022 Full Online meeting
Thursday, February 3, 2022, 5:30-9pm CT
Event format: Online
Due to the updated NWS forecast of ice accumulation on elevated surfaces, the Feb 3rd workshops and meeting will be full online.
Please join us for an evening with Industry information and networking.
- 5:30PM – 6:30PM
- Workshop 1 (PDH) “How Digital Transformation Enables Autonomous Polymer Operations,” by Alex Reed, CEO, Fluence Analytics (C-45.2121)
- Workshop 2 “AIChE Members Guide to Understanding The R&D Tax Credit,” by Rebecca Branch, Engineered Tax Services (not for PDH) (C-45.2116)
- 6:00PM – 7:00PM In Person Social/Networking Time (left off main lobby)
- 7:00PM – 8:00PM Dinner and STS Announcements
- 8:00PM – 9:00PM Keynote Presentation, “The Business of Chemistry in Texas: 2022 and Beyond,” by Texas Chemical Council, Hector Rivero, President & CEO
To register for the STS-AIChE Online Meeting, please see the following links
Note, venue and catering costs have increased since mid-2021. STS is offering the flexibility of attendance of your choice, in person or online. A certain attendance is necessary to host the event in person. STS is charging a fee for online attendance in an effort to recoup a portion of the venue costs.
Keynote Presentation
“The Business of Chemistry in Texas: 2022 and Beyond,” by Texas Chemical Council, Hector Rivero, President & CEO”
We welcome TCC’s keynote supporting industry by offering both opportunities and challenges for 2022 and beyond. We will look back on the last couple years to include successes such as safety performance during the winter storm, and the Importance of Process Safety to ensure safe operations in our industry. We will look forward to the future to include opportunities of corporate responsibility and sustainability.
About the Speaker
Hector L. Rivero is President and CEO of the Texas Chemical Council.
The Texas Chemical Council (TCC) is the statewide trade association for the chemical industry in Texas. Founded in 1953 TCC is the largest U.S. state trade association representing chemical manufacturers. The Council represents 70 public and private companies who operate more than 200 chemical manufacturing plants and research facilities across Texas. TCC is the chemical industry’s voice at the Texas State Capitol and before state regulatory agencies. TCC member companies represent more than $150 Billion in physical assets in Texas and are responsible for more than 500,000 Texas jobs. The chemical industry is a major economic engine for the state. As the state’s #1 non-energy export, the chemical industry accounts for over $45 Billion in annual exports and generate more than $2.9 Billion in state and local taxes annually.
Rivero is a respected business leader and legislative strategist. He is the Chairman of the Texas Business Round Table, and serves as Chair of the Texas Civil Justice League. Rivero has also served on the Board of Directors of several business organizations including the Texas Association of Business, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, and the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. A government affairs professional for over nearly 30 years, Rivero has been instrumental in the passage of major tax reforms, civil justice reforms, environmental laws, and constitutional amendments.
Rivero is a graduate of the University of Texas and resides in Austin, Texas
Two options for Pre-dinner Workshop (5:30-6:30pm)
Option 1 (PDH Credit) - “How Digital Transformation Enables Autonomous Polymer Operations,” by Alex W. Reed, Co-founder and CEO, Fluence Analytics.
Abstract
This talk will focus on three of the most important aspects of polymer manufacturing that effectively drive the bottom line of businesses: specifications, operational efficiency and inventory management. Since many facilities and feedstock suppliers are located across several geographical areas, variations in quality, coupled with the individual facilities' level of resources to control these variables, pose a challenge to polymer manufacturers to remain competitive across their product ranges. End users are requiring increasing levels of performance from materials as applications continually expand, pushing the limits of existing assets and technologies. This is especially important as the workforce ages, and tribal knowledge has not been adequately captured and quantified. A key facet of digital transformation is expanding the available quantitative process data to improve decision-making. Real-time measurements, analytics and process control are major factors in the operational side of digital transformation. This talk delves into novel, real-time measurements of polymer properties. These real-time insights drive advanced analytics and control, and will lead to autonomous, end user-optimized manufacturing, while enabling greater sustainability and the next generation of materials.
About the Speaker
Alex W. Reed
Co-founder and CEO
Fluence Analytics
Stafford, TX
alex.reed@fluenceanalytics.com
Alex is co-founder and CEO of Fluence Analytics, a technology startup that provides real-time analytics solutions for the optimization of manufacturing and R&D processes. His vision and leadership took the Tulane University spin-out from patented laboratory concepts to a company delivering innovative hardware and software solutions for process monitoring and optimization to chemical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers. Fluence Analytics has raised over $13 million in equity funding from institutional venture capital (Energy Innovation Capital, Diamond Edge Ventures – strategic venture group for Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings, Yokogawa Electric Corporation and JSR). The agile company has more than 25 team members, and it has several multinational chemical and biopharmaceutical companies as customers. Additionally, Fluence Analytics’ products are now in use on three continents.
Prior to founding Fluence Analytics, Alex worked as the Associate Director for Operations and Strategy at PolyRMC, a Tulane university R&D center that is active in fundamental and applied polymer research. Alex is listed as an inventor on several patents and has served on the boards for the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition and the Applied Polymer Technology Extension Consortium. In 2016 Forbes recognized Alex as a 30 under 30 recipient, and he has been recognized with several regional awards for entrepreneurship and innovation. Alex also regularly mentors entrepreneurs, students and faculty on the commercialization of technology, as well as entrepreneurship.
Option 2 - “AICHE Members guide to understanding the R&D Tax Credit,” by Rebecca Branch, Engineered Tax Services (not for PDH credit)
Abstract
These valuable Federal and state research and development (R&D) tax credits have been available to businesses and entrepreneurs for more than three decades. Even so, many AIChE Members simply don’t realize the tax credits are available to them or don’t understand which activities qualify.
This session is designed to help you recognize which of your activities qualify for R&D tax credits, what the qualification process entails and how a qualified R&D specialty tax services partner can help ensure you are receiving all available credits and benefits.
About the speaker
Rebecca Branch is a licensed attorney in the state of Texas with ten years of experience working on R&D tax credits. She completed her undergraduate degree at University of Washington in 2008 and then moved to Houston to attend University of Houston Law Center. While attending law school, Rebecca joined both the Moot Court team and the Houston Journal of Business and Tax. After graduating from law school in 2011, she passed the Texas State Bar Exam. She then began work as a corporate tax consultant specializing in R&D tax credits. She continued to work at that job until coming to join the R&D credit department of ETS in February of 2017.
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