The Michigan Opportunity
The Michigan Opportunity
S6 Ep.4 - Ryan Smith, Global Marketing Director, Dow Mobility Science
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Dow is driving the future of sustainable mobility in Midland, Michigan
As the Global Marketing and Strategy Director for Dow Mobility Science™, Ryan Smith is at the forefront of the automotive industry's rapid transition toward electrification and sustainability. He leads global go-to-market strategies that align Dow’s deep material science expertise with the needs of the growing EV market. In this episode he discusses how Dow materials work with autonomous vehicles, vehicle electrification process, and more. Ryan also hosts the insightful video series “The Road Ahead”, and oversees major global investments for Dow including the first European MobilityScience™ Innovation Studio in Italy.
Welcome to Michigan Opportunity, an economic development discussion series and extended conversations with business leaders and innovators across Michigan. You'll hear first end account on how the state is driving job growth and business investment, supporting a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, building vibrant communities, and helping to attract and retain one of the most diverse and talented workforces in the nation. And now your host, Ed Clemente.
SPEAKER_00Hello and welcome to the show. We're fortunate to have Ryan Smith. He's the global marketing director at Dow Mobility. Welcome to the show, Ryan.
SPEAKER_02Thank you, Ed. Thrilled to be here.
SPEAKER_00We say Dow. I know most Michiganders know Dow, but are you in Midland too as well?
SPEAKER_02I am indeed. Yeah, proud to call Midland home for about 13 years now. So I moved here after grad school to uh uh to work for Dow Corning at the time. Uh and then when Dow bought out the rest of Dow Corning, I joined the larger Dow family.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I used to do a lot when I was in the legislature with Dow Corning, but mainly Hemlock semiconductor back then. Sure. And uh and I think hemlocks split off, or are they still part of the Dow?
SPEAKER_02That's correct. During the overall transaction, they became a separate organization.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yeah, and then the DuPont thing happened, which that's what you're talking about, more so the DuPont. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Correct.
SPEAKER_00And um my friend was the lobbyist there, or not your lobbyist, but your government affairs person. I don't know if you know him, Andy Calores. Uh oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Andy and I served in the legislature together, actually. Okay, very good. Yeah. And so uh let's talk a little bit about what you're called Dow mobility, but I know you you do a lot of probably other things, but why don't you talk to us a little bit about what Dow mobility is?
SPEAKER_02Sure, yeah, thank you. So Dow Mobility Science is the uh is a subset of the overall Dow. So Dow overall is about$45 billion worth of revenue, and mobility science is about 10% of that. So in that uh$4 billion range. And what we try to do at Mobility Science is translate the complexities of Dow. You know, so we are fully back integrated into a myriad of chemistry sets from silicones, polyolephins, polyurethanes, acrylics, different solvents and other materials, uh, and translate that massive toolbox uh to the application and mobility space. And so there we we have offerings from really bumper to bumper, you know, anything uh from literally the uh the impact additives into the bumpers to the seating inside, both on the skins of the seats and the foams and the broader interior space to the powertrain, all the electronics throughout the vehicle. And so, really, anywhere that materials are being used inside of a mobility space, Dow has a play of some kind. And so being able to take that broad toolbox and translate it to industry while demonstrating a depth of application knowledge is what mobility science is for. And so I have the privilege of leading the marketing for that. We're there, the overarching responsibility is articulating that message, articulating that value proposition, guiding our innovation portfolio. So, what are we gonna be bringing to market in the next two, three, four, five years? Uh, and then how can we be best engaging with the customers to ensure that both that messaging and that innovation portfolio is aligned with where they're gonna be uh in that time frame.
SPEAKER_00So, materials, and and I've had people on from like Michigan State, I know they have a big program for materials, and you probably have quite a few engineers probably working for you from there.
SPEAKER_02I would say we do indeed, yeah. A lot of engineers, a lot of green and blue, and plenty of fun on rivalry days.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, I would imagine, because I know both schools have really strong engineering, and I've actually had the Dean of Engineering on from both schools uh at different times. And people always are sort of amazed to hear that we're like number two in actual numbers of engineers for a state, only behind California, but because the population is so much bigger there, the ratio of engineers in our state is very strong, you know, because almost every school has an engineering school practically in the state, although at least the public ones do.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. And Midland, I'd say, is a little microcosm of that. You know, so both because of Dow's here, but now also Corteva, DePont, and others, uh, we have an extensive and highly technical kind of engineering and scientist community here in in Midland, which is makes it a lot of fun for such a relatively small town up here in mid-Michigan.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and Dow's been there forever. I think were they the Dow brothers? I forgot how far back it was.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, they it was uh Herbert Henry Dow founded the company uh 128 years ago. And so they've been Michigan-based the entire time. Uh, and so yeah, we're we they founded as uh as Dow proper in I think it was 1897. Uh, and so we've been you know deeply rooted to the state that entire 128 years.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, no, and it it's it's a beautiful city too, even though it's uh it's not that big, but it's pretty, it's one of those kind of really neat cities. If people haven't been there, the gardens, the gardens are beautiful, the trige, and all those kind of things. It's a very attractive community, and I'm sure you've enjoyed living there too.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we absolutely have. We we came up from the south, so my wife and I got married actually back in Georgia, and then by way of uh Tennessee and then Illinois, finally up to Michigan, we just kept moving our way more north and we really enjoyed staying here.
SPEAKER_00Adding more clothes. Um and so where where I know I know you uh where'd you grow up? I I are you from like Midwest or you from the South originally?
SPEAKER_02So I was actually born in Los Angeles, and so I moved around a lot growing up, and uh it's been an interesting change of pace just for me personally, in that I had 14 moves growing up and kind of through college early career, and then once we hit Michigan, we just put on the brakes and stopped. And so we've uh but yeah, I I grew up kind of all over the U.S. And my wife primarily grew up in the southeast, and like I said, we got married and started moving more.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I even looked at your universities and um I do you have an engineering degree? I forgot, or your business degree, I forgot.
SPEAKER_02I have finance and economics undergrad, so that was at a Barrie College in Rome, Georgia, uh, so up in the northwest corner of Georgia. Uh and then I went back to graduate school at the University of Chicago, and there I got an MBA. So I don't have a um I don't have an engineering degree, but I enjoy hanging out with all the engineers around here and trying to speak their language.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, someone's got to interpret for them. I I've had on a lot of engineers, I've had sometimes when I get some of the companies that come on the show, sometimes it's an engineer that worked their way up, sometimes it's someone from the finance side, and sometimes it's from the sales division. So it's always a little different of who can kind of coalesce all three of those things into a into like a really important program like yours. And let's get to that a little bit more. So when you say sort of like bumper to bumper or from tires to roof, right? You're you're doing almost everything you guys have, maybe some angle in. Why what are some of the uh bigger things you think that um are cost? I know they're trying to lighten the vehicles, make them lighter. So even for you know, ice engines as well as electric engines, both of that's important to have lighter vehicles, right?
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. Move to light weighting has uh is significantly impacted, I'd say, our material offering and honestly been a good advantage for Dow. Um and as you said, regardless of the powertrain uh industry is interested in moving away from as much weight as possible, and that's largely to in response to fuel standards, as well as the opportunity to improve performance and the driving experience. But a couple of areas where Dow is able to provide that benefit is the movement away from mechanical fasteners and the adhesion process. We've been able to shave kilograms off of vehicles by uh by moving towards kind of a polyurethane-based adhesive. And so using that in the in the construction process of not just say a battery pack underneath the vehicle, which may be the largest application space of that uh today, but throughout the vehicle. Anywhere using mechanical fasteners, you can move towards a an adhesive, and that allows you to trim weight off the vehicle. Another area uh where we've been able to partner uh with others in industry, this one's with uh Bridgestone, actually, is making a run-flat tire effectively with um uh with the a silicone material inside the tire. And the reason that that contributes to light weighting is it allows you to remove the extra tire. So today in the US, about a third or more vehicles do not ship with a a kind of spare tire. Right. And so that you know increases the need for the four tires you've got to last fully until you if you have a puncture until you can get it repaired. And the uh the ability to coat the inside of these tires with the silicone polymer from Dow uh is one area that uh where Bridgestone is able to drive that differentiation and as well as enable with confidence in a consumer to move away from having a spare tire in the vehicle at all times, saving many kilograms worth of weight.
SPEAKER_00And I would imagine, I mean, I even notice it like when I was growing up, like if you got a nail in your tire, it went out pretty fast. But I notice I can have something in my car and I just can put keep putting air in it, and it seems like it lasts longer than it used to. That's probably some of what you guys have been doing, right? To help seal itself a little bit.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. That's the idea is to become self-sealing or run flat. Uh yeah, those are uh technologies that Dow and others have had to play in. But yeah, this uh yeah, the the uh the the Bridgestone partnership has enabled us to create something that lasts for many miles after a puncture uh and allowing you to get that repaired at your leisure as opposed to an immersion situation.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and let's and I don't know um if you do much with autonomous vehicles, or is that sort of like does that fall under your purview?
SPEAKER_02So we manufacture then kind of the raw materials that would be used in the autonomous uh uh systems. And so I don't do the software, I don't develop the AI systems uh that others are using to enable autonomy. Um, but none of that works without a well-protected computer system. And so there it's Dow's materials that are sealing, protecting, impact resisting uh the sensors and the uh the kind of powered electronics that are used throughout the instrument cluster that enable them to last for the entire life of the vehicle. So we we make the technology survive uh the the real world.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, obviously in climates like ours too, assault, you know, there's that, and then jarring roads and whatever, you know, rain, a lot of rain, and so I imagine there's a lot of elements that really I mean I I can just remember way back, and I shouldn't date myself too much, but when you bought a new car, the first thing you did with it is you got it like uh undercoated because the company didn't do it and you didn't want to start, and so you almost had to do it the day you bought the car, and that would be an extra cost sometimes.
SPEAKER_02It was a very common upsell, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, no. Um, so so with also not only like you know, it's interesting you mentioned sensors, because I had a guest on before and she talked about how the average car now, and I don't think a lot of people know this, has like something like 1200 to 1500 sensors in a car. And I'm like, oh my gosh, so you're protecting every one of them little sensors, probably at some point.
SPEAKER_02Yes, the uh the materials that we make can be protecting all those sensors. And like you rightly said, you know, between the the water, the salt, there's the vibration, there's a lot of things that computers traditionally don't like. And so the ability to protect those computers and electronic components uh is is where Dow has a specialty.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, do you also and this is just a weird tangent, but like um I do tours at the Henry Ford Museum like as a volunteer. Yeah, but we there's like a racing section. So I know for like at least the OEMs, uh they usually want to race their cars, but they're often testing parts and products. Do you guys are you guys involved with that as well and like race cars? Because that's a great place to learn about your vehicle.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely it is, yeah. No, we have uh two different racing partnerships uh for uh the NASCAR market. We partner with Richard Childress Racing, and so specifically the number three car, which is you know quite famous uh throughout NASCAR history. Uh and they're working with our driver Austin Dillon, we have the opportunity to be exploring uh numerous different materials kind of both inside the cab and uh you know as as we try to find any little bit of incremental advantage uh on the uh on the track. Uh and then because of our strong push into the uh the electronics and the battery space, we've had several years we partnered with Formula E, so which does the uh Formula One type racing but with an 100% electric powertrain. And so there we partner with the Jaguar Land Rover team. Uh and uh and there our driver, Mitch Evans, uh, works with uh works with our scientists and of course their own engineering teams. And we have a lot of fun kind of pushing the edges of material science to try to pull just either a little bit more heat off the motors, try to make things just a little bit lighter, uh, or uh and just try to get them a few extra milliseconds on the track. So it's a it's a lot of fun, and I absolutely agree with your hypothesis that the racetrack is a fantastic laboratory to uh to test new materials. And so we take full advantage of that.
SPEAKER_00And a lot of it, I mean, I had someone on that talk a little bit about this before, but a lot of it's real-time sensing too, because sometimes that's even more valuable than post-sensing. So you can even adjust sometimes, I think they said with some of the sensors.
SPEAKER_02It really is fascinating. I've had the chance to go in the in the pit box at uh in the uh Michigan International Speedway with Richard Childress racing a couple times, and they're just watching the telemetry data and other sensor data real time, uh, where there the uh you know the crew can be communicating with the driver around you know any temperatures, pressures, uh, and the estimated fuel consumptions, wear of tires, wear of brakes, etc. And that's uh they modify their tactics just literally on the fly like that. It's it's fascinating how both strategic and tactical those uh that professional level of racing is.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and then we the consumers really benefit the most from it because then they can implement that sort of hard testing interregular driving for like you and I driving around the place.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. It's a great way for everybody to experiment as well as have a little bit of fun in the process.
SPEAKER_01You're listening to the Michigan Opportunity, featuring candid conversations with Michigan business leaders and innovators on what makes Michigan a leading state to live, work, and play. Listen to more episodes at MichiganBusiness.org forward slash podcast or download the Michigan Opportunity through your preferred podcast platform.
SPEAKER_00Once again, our guest is Ryan Smith. He's the global marketing director at Dell Mobility. Um, you mentioned we let's go into the uh, and you we talked about this a little bit in our prep call, but the electrification process and the sort of batteries and what what because electrification and batteries are not necessarily the same thing always, because they because all cars have some electrical component to them. So how how do you guys break it out with your research up there?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well that's that's a very fair point and a nuance most people don't call out. But yeah, the uh electrification and the electrification of the powertrain are indeed happening in parallel. So the overall electrification of the vehicles, I think you know, we can all see just looking in our cars, right? They are now full of displays, as you mentioned, the 1200 some odd sensors. You know, there are a numerous computers, uh, miles upon miles of cabling and wiring throughout the V each individual vehicle. Uh and so cars are just becoming more electric. And there's some romance in that that's lost. You know, like even I can remember back when I was, you know, had my first car where I would be working on it, uh, and I bought a little Porsche 944, and I thought it was the coolest thing, but I was uh unfortunately that one I had to be tearing it apart every uh every few weeks just to uh replace another part of the engine.
SPEAKER_00I know what that's like.
SPEAKER_02But uh you know with these modern vehicles, they're so fully electrified and sealed off, you know, partly because of Dow materials that that's that's not quite the environment for a uh you know a an early 20-something tinkerer like I had. Uh and so the the cars are absolutely becoming more electric. Um and that's primarily to create uh both a more enjoyable and uh interactive customer experience kind of inside the cab, uh, as well as it improves overall performance uh of the vehicles and safety as well. Uh but one what it's just talking about the electric power trade, you know, that is a an area we see tremendous levels of growth on the horizon. You know, it it is not coming as fast as some people who got too excited a few years ago thought it would. But it's still growing on a more than double-digit rate all around the world. Uh and you know, electric vehicles are already more than half of the vehicles sold in China. Uh and then here in the US, it's in that tens plus percent range. Um, but it's increasing every year. And uh I believe, Dow believes that electric vehicles will become the powertrain of the future because they are just faster, they will be cheaper, uh, and they're better driving experience uh than internal combustion engine. Now, you admittedly do lose the romance of the rumble of the engine, which I do have a soft spot for. Uh, but we believe that consumers will move towards an economical choice of faster, better, cheaper, uh, as well as the environmental benefits are just kind of icing on the top.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's the way almost all consumer products move anyway. I mean, you know, it it almost has to go that way. But I think the as you point out a little bit, that the cost point's gonna be the issue. And but not only just the cost point, the physicality, because obviously batteries today can actually add weight more the of the like electric car can be almost heavier than an ice car, uh, internal combustion engine car, right?
SPEAKER_02Sometimes it can be, yeah. Yeah, and that's a usually quite significantly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So what so how and and you and I talked about this a little bit, but you know, I don't I don't mind, you know, I I don't mind China. In fact, China should be a way to force us to be more innovative, I think. And I don't think, you know, and I've read enough books on you know how they do their work in their country and how they're really I I heard a quote in one book I was reading like China's run by engineers and the United States is run by lawyers, you know, to try to get stuff done. And so, you know, when you have that sort of technocracy running your country, it's a little bit easier to pull off some of the stuff they're pulling off. But I still believe we can be much more innovative in America of finding new elements that be I've had graphene experts on before, but you know, getting away from the rare metals, that's what we talked about a little bit. It to me that seems like that would be the future is how do we find something more common that would be something that's more sustainable as well as lighter kind of thing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I think the uh you know as you mentioned with China, they they've done an exceptional job. Uh, and I expect by the end of this decade they could be producing, you know, near half of the world's vehicles. And so their ramp up has been incredible over these past, especially 10 years and a little bit more. And it shows what's could happen if a if a government and a population you know chooses to focus on something. I think it's a great testament to uh kind of a national motivation. And they make good vehicles. Uh and uh you know, and that has also improved dramatically over the past uh um 10 years, and so now those vehicles can compete on the global stage as your the listeners will will notice if they ever travel to Europe or Latin America, you know, they'll see a prevalence of BYDs or Great Walls or Daewos or others uh that are out there that are uh that are great little cars. Uh the uh there is value in building up local supply chains, and so I I appreciate and value the work that's from the past several administrations trying to encourage you know additional investment here in North America. Uh and uh uh Dow is thrilled to be a part of that um and has participated in that process and and benefited from that additional focus of investment because we believe in the power of American manufacturing, we believe in the value of American manufacturing, uh, and we know that I think just like you talked about, with the uh you can provide the you know the uh an impetus for kind of competitive improvement for growth, like what the Japanese vehicles did you know 30, 40 years ago, the Chinese vehicles I think can do for us today. And they have an excellent cost model, they have the ability to build you know good cars that are at a very affordable price point. Um and if anybody can build a uh you know a four-door electric vehicle that can travel 250 miles on a charge and sell it for less than$10,000, I think that's something worth taking a look at. Uh and so the uh the North American OEMs I know are looking at that very seriously and and are partnering with Dow and many others in the area uh to uh to try to move towards uh be very competitive uh with that kind of offer.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I've had several experts. Uh one who lived in worked, I think either for Ford or GM when he was in Shanghai. And but he did in the automotive industry, but he's also uh his name's Tulai. He's like he's got his own podcast, he's based out of Michigan. But it's really interesting the way he looks at things and how you know how how do we get the innovative mentality back? Uh there's a book I've recommended to different guests, and I'm sure you might have heard of it, Abundance.
SPEAKER_02Yep, as a client. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I'm glad you know it. And so but I mean it's like we sort of lost the ability to do the moonshot stuff or the innovation. We've almost become too not enough sort of the can do. And I think we can get back to it. I just think it it's gonna take a while for us to adjust. But uh I think with companies like yours in our country and you know, and I think Michigan really figuring out, you know, s even the word switching from automotive to mobility, for example, is a good indicator that we just need to know how things move, how the powertrains are, or how the electric batteries are created, or you know, I would even imagine you're coming up with conductive materials beyond copper, because copper will have a finite you know, production value at some point, I'm guessing. And sometimes I know ceramics and different things could be used for are you guys looking at those kind of like alternative like conductors even for materials?
SPEAKER_02So we're not uh we're not able to like invent a new element, but we're able to you'll be trying to find ways that we can kind of bring additional levels of thermal performance into the vehicles, to be sure. So we we sell a myriad of kind of thermally conductive greases and sealants uh and or encapsulates and ways that again we talked about the thermal properties of the electronical components and protecting them. And so we have uh several of those protective uh products that we sell have conductive properties, and so our thermally conductive adhesives are absolutely a uh a major product family for us uh and something that we've seen interest only increase as the electronics inside the vehicle have increased.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I remember way back when I was in the legislature, but we had a um we had a bunch, I had like for my committee, I had like three different separate hearings just on electrification in the future, right? And they were talking how far away it was going to be even at that point, you know. But one of the things that was brought up even back then was, you know, we take for granted the heater in a car, right? You know, and the heater in a car is based off of the heat that's coming off your engine somewhat, right? Right. And when you have a battery that's not really producing heat, we have to create the heat now, which also causes other issues now, which I mean, it's little things like that, I think, that people don't really realize that there's a lot of science that's going behind these things. And if we were in a more temperate climate, it wouldn't be as big an issue, but in a colder climate like ours, you have to think about those things.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you're spot on. The batteries are a little bit finicky. They don't like it too hot and they don't like it too cold. So we just have to find a nice, you know, Southern California temperate weather, and that's what they like to enjoy. But they uh they overall the batteries have shown exceptional reliability, you know, in all climates. You know, so just as one proof point, the average warranty on an EV vehicle is eight years, whereas an ICE vehicle, the average warranty is five years. You know, they the uh the price points for the EVs are a little bit higher, but overall their life, primarily because you're not buying fuel, there's a very favorable uh you know total cost of ownership, um, and that is becoming all the more favorable as uh the cost of battery packs continue to decline. Uh, and so we we do see EVs um becoming again the dominant powertrain. Uh, but like you mentioned, there's a lot of science, a lot of particulars, a lot of nuance uh that are being actively worked on by the Army of Engineers, both in the Detroit area and up here in Midland.
SPEAKER_00What additional trends do you see for your industry that you haven't already mentioned? Like where do you think we are gonna have to go or at least a compass direction, something like that?
SPEAKER_02The top two I would highlight are ones we've already mentioned. So I mean, like the EV adoption and light weighting. I think those are gonna absolutely become dominant plays in the industry, moving towards lighter vehicles whenever possible and electrification as it's uh economically rational for the consumer, which again I believe to be uh in the imminent future. Uh and then for the longer term, I expect to be moving much more towards autonomous and fully connected vehicles. And I think that's gonna be a fascinating world where we see uh you know the advanced engineering and material science that we were discussing being combined with the softwares and AI and then the interconnected interconnectedness uh from the proliferation of uh V2X uh technology. Uh, I think that's gonna be extremely interesting. That'll probably be a decade or two uh away before that's fully implemented, but you know, definitely something that we can all be looking forward to is seeing driverless vehicles, uh vehicles that could even be summoned where you don't have to own a vehicle, but it could just be a fleet that is called to you uh on uh uh on a moment's notice if you need it. Um and then as you fully build out a sensor network, uh it allows you to dramatically decrease things like accidents uh or uh um or you know environmental risks, etc. So I think it becomes a safer driving experience, a more relaxing driver experience, uh, and I think it becomes a more environmentally sustainable as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I remember I was in Vietnam like 10 years ago. I can't remember, uh I I I think I was in Ho Chi Minh City, but like 90% of the vehicles back then were electric motorcycles, right?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00And it was just amazing because it was quiet too, in a weird way, too. You know, you know, you didn't hear cars trying to cross the street even it was little or even motorcycles. But so you know, do you see that do you guys do other things like are you into drones? Are your batteries utilitarian where they can go into other things beyond when I think of mobility, I just don't think of consumer vehicles anymore. You know, I think of little trains, planes, you know, everything.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. No, we do uh we do sell into all those in-markets. Uh we're usually, you know, relatively far upstream, right? So I'm selling usually to a tier two, sometimes a tier one, uh, that either go into the automotive space uh or you know, the kind of commercial infrastructure with things like trains uh or the aviation industry or even the space industry. But we uh so yeah, we do sell into all those in-markets. Um and and uh honestly across a myriad of application spaces. So the electrification that is relatively ignorant industry agnostic. So the the need to protect electrical components applies at all those industries, uh, and the need to manage heat applies throughout all those industries, and so our thermally conductive and electric conductive materials become extremely relevant, as well as in things like trains or planes, uh finding um creative ways to do both seating and the skins on the seating because of the higher levels of use. They need a more durable material and a more resilient seating uh kind of cushioning, um, as well as especially in planes, things that are incredibly fire retardant or fire resistant on the materials. Uh and so their DAO has some offerings in both those spaces that are used in uh uh in trains and planes.
SPEAKER_00I knew you guys were in there a lot. I just couldn't I didn't know everything.
SPEAKER_02It makes a lot of fun. Yeah, a lot of different fun things going on.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I imagine you get approached by a lot of people for patents and IPOs and try to work with them, you know, tech transfer from universities. I don't know how much you do with universities, but uh, I know that's always a sweet spot.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I know a good bit. So we uh I partner, we have an internal um venture capital team, and I have the pleasure of partnering with them and a team of Tech Scouts uh that are talking with startups, but also spin-outs out of universities, and uh the Battery Lab at University of Michigan's been a good partner for us. We here a little more locally at CMU. We've had some professors that we've worked with at Central Michigan and several other universities throughout the state. Uh so so absolutely university partnerships are are high on our list of interests. Um and then you mentioned you know kind of startups or new companies, is that we uh we're definitely interested there. And so if you know the listeners are a member of a uh an organization that is you know kind of looking for funding, looking for partnership, looking for a material science partner, uh, those are the kind of companies I love to talk to. I love talking to entrepreneurs, I love talking to startups and seeing if there's a mutual fit that we can build something for the future.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I've had a few companies on where they have like a skunk works internally, or and they're doing just basic and applied research for opportunities because I find both of them to be very fascinating. And I think because of all the engineers, we actually have probably more people doing stuff on the side outside their jobs even sometimes.
SPEAKER_02That could be some of the best work, you know, their little Friday afternoon project, their patron projects.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I we used to call them garage sort of uh Einstein's. And uh well anyway, you're kind of a second-to-last question, but if you could go back and talk to 17-year-old Ryan, uh what would you because you know how what you more you know now, but what would you kind of tell yourself to go into as a career after you see all this stuff?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I'm very fortunate to be ending up doing similar to what I wanted to be doing when I was 17. And uh and honestly, similar to what I'd tell myself to go do. I I just personally have a passion for because the more tangible industries, so where we're actually making things, making stuff, uh, and the ability to see that stuff used out in the real world to drive a positive you know benefit for society. And I love that Dow gets to do that, and I love that I get to focus on how can we do that better each day. And so I as corny as it sounds, the honest answer is that I would encourage myself to keep moving down this path of materials, to keep moving down this industrial path, uh, but then I would probably take a look at electrification and the move towards electrification sooner. So this is something that really came on my radar maybe five years ago. Uh and uh I think as as both um uh Dow as we to invest in that at that time frame to enjoy kind of the upswing uh that many were forecasting even at that time, so to stick with the vision we had five, ten years ago, uh, as well as to just uh embrace the uh the electrification of the economy. And I think that uh the earlier adoption there, as we can see from the Asian continent, uh, only leads to a uh you know an outsized level of benefit. So that'd be my advice to my younger self.
SPEAKER_00It's good advice because I know Michigan is sort of the tip of the spear for manufacturing, even for the United States. The Midwest is in general, but how we do will play heavily, I think, into our future economy too, somewhat. And I think we have to really start being more creative and more leaning into stuff versus like staying away from stuff.
SPEAKER_02Like it seems to me. Yeah. No, I I completely agree with you. I think uh, you know, if I'm the character qualities I'd emphasize for my my younger self is just emphasizing curiosity and emphasizing a bit of grit and work ethic. You know, with the rise of AI and no doubt the disruptions that that's gonna cause and globalization, there's I mean there's a tremendous amount that's impacting the labor force and industry broadly, you know, both this past decade and for the decades to come. But I know a through line is gonna be if that the people and people who are willing to work and willing to work hard remain curious and have the courage to experiment, you know, that you can accomplish anything.
SPEAKER_00Well, the last short question for you like what's your favorite thing to do in Midland? Did you have an event or something with your family or whatever you do?
SPEAKER_02Many things, many things. If I had a particular particular event, I'm gonna stick within the automotive sphere. Is that every fall, Northwood has a uh an international auto show? And so Northwood's a university here in town um that has a robust automotive program. Um and uh every fall they put it on, it's student lun student run, uh, and they do a great job. They've been doing it for like more than 60 years. And uh it's an outdoor auto show, and it's one of the largest in the country. Um, it's a lot of fun just gonna go see both the aftermarkets and the classic cars, but uh enjoy taking uh my kids uh over to enjoy that.
SPEAKER_00I taught for four years at for Northwood on their external program. Not not the one in Midland, but they have an external program down here in the Detroit area, and I used to teach for them. And and I know about their relationship with car dealerships and the automotive industry, it's always been strong. So it's uh it's a great thing to choose.
SPEAKER_02Um, Midland has a lot of lot going on, you know, between Center for the Arts, the Dow Gardens, the downtown area, and then this auto show in the fall, it's it's a great place.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, a lot of nice hiking in the area, too. Once again, our guest was Ryan Smith, Global Marketing Director at Dow Mobility. Uh, we appreciate you taking time to do this today, Ryan, and uh thanks for coming on the show.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for the time. It was uh it was a pleasure.
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