Jose Perez

Faculty
Polymer Engineering

Polymers are some of the world’s most widely used materials for packaging, products, and more. Jose has long been drawn to the awe-inspiring role of this game-changing material. After 12+ years of engineering experience in the field, he’s stoked to share his passion with the next generation of industry leaders.

TAKING THE LEAD: Q&A with Jose

HOW DID YOU END UP IN POLYMERS?

I'm a New York City native who moved to Erie in the early 80s when the polymer program at Penn State Behrend was ramping up. It was touted as a cutting-edge program. When I completed my Army service, I enrolled and graduated from that program.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO POLYMERS?

The same thing that attracts kids to it today – the desire to know how the material that makes up so much of what we touch and see every day works. I wanted to learn how it goes from a pile of pellets into a finished object.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TRANSITION FROM INDUSTRY TO TEACHING?

When I was in school, I would occasionally envision myself in the role of the teachers I had placed on a pedestal. My favorite aspect of my previous roles was when I was either translating the requirements of polymeric parts and assemblies into a language that non-plastics professionals could understand or teaching them directly how to make sense of polymer parts and materials. Those experiences gave me the hunger to work in an educational setting. When the opportunity presented itself, I seized it.

HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE POLYMERS FIELD TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS?

I can extend my arm at almost any point of any day and touch something made from a polymeric material. I explain that being able to make that object or that material is a skillset that isn't going away and will be in greater demand over time.

WHAT MAKES THE POLYMERS PROGRAM AT PENN COLLEGE UNIQUE?

The breadth of topics and processes covered makes our program unique. The polymer field is massive and diverse. Giving students a taste of everything – from the synthesis and formulation of a material all the way to the production and evaluation of polymeric parts – provides multiple entry points for them to enter the polymer industry.

HOW CHALLENGING IS THE POLYMERS CURRICULUM?

Plastic materials and processes behave in almost counterintuitive ways and have a language all their own. Learning that language and those concepts is difficult, but once that is accomplished, the subsequent steps and conceptual hurdles become second nature.

Guaranteed Momentum:

"What I enjoy most about teaching polymers at Penn College is interacting with students and seeing the "aha" moment when an abstract concept coalesces in their mind."

Jose Perez

Real-World Ready:

Always innovating

Jose and his colleagues work tirelessly to stay on the cutting-edge of industry demands, ensuring students hone skills that employers value. The plastics and polymers department's hard work earned them the President’s Award for Outstanding Assessment.