Dr. Kat Knauer has a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi. She completed a 2-year rotational post-doctorate in BASF’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) and placed off into a Senior Scientist role in BASF’s Plastics Division. Her research efforts focused on advanced recycling technologies which ultimately led her to joining the Materials Innovation R&D team at Novoloop (formerly BioCellection), a San Francisco Bay Area startup. At Novoloop she helped develop a technology that converted post-consumer polyethylene waste into valuable chemical building blocks that she upcycled into new high-performing polymer applications. Recently, Dr. Knauer joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) Consortium where she will continue to work towards achieving a circular economy for plastics through innovative research.