Current Position: Staff Scientist Hercules Incorporated

Dr. Erin Doherty completed her PhD at Northwestern in 2003 under the direction of Professor Annelise Barron. While at Northwestern she worked to develop polymeric materials for micro-channel DNA sequencing. Erin’s work with high molar mass, water-soluble polymers has led her to her current research at Hercules Incorporated’s Pulp and Paper Division: currently Erin develops, tests, and scales-up polymers for the paper industry, applying in an industrial environment the polymerization and polymer characterization techniques that she learned during graduate school. The focus of her work has been to design and improve polymers that promote paper dewatering and retain paper additives (starch, alum, sizing agents) in the paper web during the dewatering process.

According to Erin, in an industrial environment, non-technical abilities are highly valued. During the latter half of her graduate studies, Erin was allowed to work very independently and she feels that the planning and communication skills she developed during that time have been a critical part of her success, and have given her an edge. Many of her colleagues completed their PhD work decades ago, at a time in which the focus of graduate-level research was the thesis, not peer- reviewed publications or presentations. The emphasis on teamwork and the steady development of her communication skills while at Northwestern are features of her graduate experience that Erin values.