SPEAKER INTERVIEW

Leading up to her participation in the plenary panel discussion at the Adhesives & Bonding Expo and Foam Expo conference we caught up with Lee Polance the Vice President of Global Technology, Engineering Adhesives at H.B. Fuller. Lee will be contributing her expertise to the thought leadership piece entitled Fostering Environmentally Conscious Material Development to Meet Consumer Demand and Satisfy Regulatory Requirements. Lee is passionate about her work with adhesives and in developing the next generation of environmentally conscious materials.

Can you tell us about your role at H.B. Fuller and what your responsibilities entail?

I am leading a global team of scientists and engineers in Engineering Adhesives.  My responsibilities entail innovation and product development to support growth in multiple market segments, such as Transportation, Electronics, Durable Assembly, New Energy, Glass, Wood and Composites.

Why is sustainable material development such an important topic for you and your team?

Our customers are expecting it. It’s driven both by regulation and the desire to reduce global warming. It’s where the growth is and will determine our future.

What innovative new trend or technology is particularly interesting for you currently?

We are currently focusing on adhesive technologies that can enable reuse, repair and recycling of durable goods, such as consumer electronics, without compromising on performance and reliability. The requirement to be able to loosen the bonds, arises from the desire to recover valuable materials at the end of the life cycle or during repair. We are developing new adhesive technology that is reworkable, or debondable on demand.

What are you most looking forward to about attending the live event?

I am very much looking forward to networking and learning from industry experts and exchanging ideas both at the conference and the exhibition.

If you could have one famous person (living or from the past) over for dinner, who would they be and why?

Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, who is an author, strategist and teacher.  She is named one of the fifteen “women who will save the world” by Time.  I am reading a book “All We Can Save” edited by Ayana Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson.  They are essays from diverse women leading on climate change in the United States.  They offer a spectrum of ideas and insights for how we can rapidly, radically reshape society to weather the climate crisis.