W. Michael Sanford

Mike Sanford serves as the Director of Engineering for Prisma Renewable Composites, a Tennessee-based company focused on producing materials such as plastics and carbon fibers containing substantial amounts of lignocellulosic biomass. He is responsible for managing the company's research and development interactions and collaborations, including sponsored research agreements. Before joining Prisma, Sanford led DuPont’s efforts in developing technology to convert lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol from 2006 to 2017. He began his professional career as a petrochemicals process design engineer for CE Lummus, prior to pursuing his Ph.D. His 30-year career at DuPont included research and management roles in a variety of areas including fibers, composite materials, polymers, biomedical applications and digital printing prior to the biofuels arena. Sanford received a BSE in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware.