As Assistant Director of Business Development – Physical Sciences, Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), Buchanan evaluates the commercialization potential of invention disclosures in chemicals and materials science from Purdue University. He acts as a liaison between Purdue faculty and student inventors and patent attorneys, develops strategies for the protection of the related intellectual property, and oversees the drafting, negotiation and execution of license agreement for Purdue innovations.

Buchanan’s qualifications include a BA in chemistry from Augustana University and a PhD in inorganic chemistry from Syracuse University.  After completing his PhD, Buchanan joined the University of Notre Dame as a postdoctoral researcher working on a Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS) project.  After his postdoctoral research, Buchanan was involved with startup companies, in technical and business capacities, focused on developing materials for challenging chemical separations.

• If you could go back in time to have dinner with one person, who would that be? My Grandpa
• What is one invention that you just couldn’t live without? Microprocessors
• Other than safety and fuel efficiency, what is one aspect that you will not compromise on when searching for a new car? Cruise Control
• What is your favorite quote? “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein