Pitt State researcher wins award

Dr. Ivan Javni, a polymer scientist with the Kansas Polymer Research Center at Pittsburg State University, received the Regional Industrial Innovation Award at the 40th American Chemical Society midwest regional meeting held recently in Joplin, Mo. The ACS gives the award to individuals and teams whose creative innovations in chemistry and chemical engineering have contributed to the commercial success of their company and to the good of the community and society. Javni, who joined the Pittsburg State KPRC research staff in 1995, received the award for his work on the development of intelligent gels and unique bio-based polyols for use in polyurethanes.

Before coming to the United States, Javni worked for SODASO, one of the largest chemical companies in the former Yugoslavia. He was named its director in 1985. In 1987, he received the Inventors Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina Award for the development of a new type of polyurethane pre-polymer.

Javni served as the national project director and United Nations expert on polyurethanes for the U.N. Development Organization (UNIDO) agency from 1987 to 1990. Javni received his Ph.D. from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia, working on segmented polyurethanes. He has published 26 papers, made more than 70 presentations and holds eight patents.

---Pitt State---