Dr. Andrew Dent plays a key role in the expansion of Material ConneXion’s technical knowledge base. His research directs the implementation of consulting projects and the selection of innovative, sustainable and advanced materials to Material ConneXion’s library. As the Executive Vice President of Research at Material ConneXion and Chief Material Scientist at SANDOW, Dent has helped hundreds of clients -- from Whirlpool and Adidas to BMW and Procter & Gamble -- develop or improve their products through the use of innovative materials.

Prior to joining Material ConneXion, Dent held a number of research positions both in industry and academia. At Rolls Royce PLC, he specialized in turbine blades for the present generation of jet engines. He has completed postdoctoral research at Cambridge University and at the Center for Thermal Spray Research, SUNY, Stony Brook, NY. Other research projects during this period, included work for the US Navy, DARPA, NASA and the British Ministry of Defense. He received his PhD in materials science from the University of Cambridge.

Dent is a frequent speaker on sustainable and innovative material strategies, having given talks at TEDxGrandRapids and TEDNYC, and he is the co-author of the Material Innovation book series, which includes Packaging Design, Product Design and Architecture. Dent has also contributed to numerous publications on the subject of material science including Fast Company, The Economist and the Financial Times.