Courtesy of Tuskegee University
Dr. Michael L. Curry, associate professor of chemistry and adjunct associate professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Tuskegee University, has been named to The Top 100 Magazine’s 2022 list of “Top 100 Innovators & Entrepreneurs.”
Widely recognized world leader
Dr. Curry has been recognized for his extensive work on reducing the world’s carbon footprint. The founder and CEO of Eco-Friendly Plastic Materials, LLC, has been an award-winning research scientist since 2005. He launched the company in 2018 to focus on revolutionizing plastics manufacturing. Dr. Curry replaced traditional plastics with a more robust, long-lasting, biodegradable material that can decompose in a much shorter period. Eco-Friendly Plastic Materials offers multiple services to change the conventional plastic manufacturing industry. The team of chemical, material, and manufacturing engineering experts and scientists work on eco-friendly plastic research that provides cost-effective and less hazardous solutions for the industry by using natural products.
“I am extremely honored to be listed as one of the Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs by Top 100 Magazine. This recognition shines a spotlight on my entire research group – past and present students – showcasing their commitment and resilience toward creating HBCU-inspired innovations. More importantly, this recognition highlights our efforts to continue Carver’s legacy of using scientific innovations to change the education and economic landscape for disadvantaged communities.”
Dr. Curry, who has worked almost a decade in biorenewable development, was also recognized as a Black History Maker in Alabama, where he’s credited with developing innovations that utilize cellulose to make biodegradable plastics. His research interests include his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM areas as he continues to inform the next generation. As an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, Dr. Curry has significantly contributed to HBCU-inspired innovations and STEM diversity through his research and student mentoring. Most recently, Dr. Curry is the first professor at Tuskegee to gain a U.S. patent with an African American student co-inventor.
“As an HBCU faculty and researcher, I aim to increase the number of highly trained minority professionals within the STEM and entrepreneurship pipelines; I want to strategically move the needle forward on minority-inspired innovation and powerfully influence the movement of STEM diversity,” said Curry.
Dr. Curry’s recognition adds to the several honors and accolade’s he’s received, including the STEM Summits Success Scientist of the Year Award nominee and the recipient of the 2021 National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers’ HBCU Pioneer Award.
Dr. Curry holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of West Alabama.
The Top 100 Magazine publishes the most popular biography-based titles in the industry. Those selected are ranked on a variety of online resources for industry-specific terms, keywords, and search engines.
