CHRIS SEUBERT

Technical Expert – Coatings Paint and Color Research, FORD RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTER

Could you please share your current role, what it entails, and what excites you most about it?

I am currently a technical expert in Coatings at Ford’s Research and Innovation Center. I work on a diverse team examining important areas such as automotive coatings (materials and application), corrosion, fluid simulation, battery materials, and surface science. Every day brings a new set of problems or questions to answer, which include both near-term immediate issues and long-term research projects we hope will shape the auto industry over the next 20 years!

What brought you to the coatings industry? Was it part of the plan, or did you discover coatings along the way?

I joined Ford out of college in 1999 after getting my bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I honestly had no clue about the importance of coatings, even within the material science space, until I started with Ford. I joined the Paint Research Group and had great mentors and experts who taught me everything I know about coatings. I then got my Ph.D. from the University of Michigan while working at Ford and directed my thesis work into coatings-related topics. I truly believe Ford has/had some of the best minds in coatings, and I have been fortunate enough to learn from them over the last 26 years.

How important has mentorship or a piece of advice from someone been in your career—and have you had the chance to mentor others in return?

Great mentors significantly influenced my development. Especially in industrial research, new researchers need mentors to guide their development and help them focus on what is important to the company and the industry in which they are working. As older generations retire and new, younger engineers and scientists join our team, I am trying to honor my mentors by providing guidance and transferring knowledge to the next generation of coatings experts.

How, if at all, did your educational background shape your path into coatings?

As an undergrad at the University of Illinois, I honestly knew little about industry or even what scientists and engineers did as a job! All I knew was that I liked chemistry, I wasn’t bad at math, and I enjoyed solving problems! During discussions with advisors at Illinois, they mentioned that there was this field called “materials science and engineering” that mixes all those things together, so I took an intro class, and was off and running. I loved the diversity of the field and that I could pick from a variety of specialty areas such as ceramics, electronic materials, metals, or polymers. I thought this was a great way for students to figure out what they were interested in without getting too specialized early on.

What’s one project or innovation you’ve worked on that you’re especially proud of?

It is definitely our current work on reducing paint overspray with inkjet applicator technology. It isn’t every day that you can work on a potentially revolutionary change to part of an industry, but we truly believe that when we bring this to market, it will change the application of automotive coatings forever.

How do you stay current with advancements in coatings technology?

I find conferences to be the best way to learn about advancements in coatings. For me, hearing an author explain their work and results resonates more than just reading a paper. This is also why I think presentation skills are a lost art and can set certain researchers apart from their peers.

Are there any misconceptions about your role or industry that you’d like to correct?

I think people don’t realize how difficult it is to coat or paint things in any industry and get long-term durability and performance. The Earth is a harsh place, and people take for granted how well coatings, especially those that need to survive outdoors for several years, perform.

Have you ever taken a detour or changed directions in your career? What did that pivot teach you?

No, I have been in the same chair for 26 years which is very rare today, and not necessarily good or bad. I envy those with the ability to pivot and change their career direction.

Have you faced any significant professional challenges, and if so, how did you overcome them?

The auto industry is always full of uncertainty, and I think adapting to that uncertainty has been my biggest challenge. Again, this is where excellent mentors are key, as they can help guide you through that uncertainty.

How has the coatings industry changed since you entered it?

In my area, it has changed surprisingly little, but that is the nature of the industry that I work in. The biggest advancement that occurred during my years at Ford was the introduction of the three-wet paint application process, and that occurred in the early 2000s. The auto industry is very risk averse, as a coating failure can affect hundreds of thousands of vehicles and cost millions of dollars to repair. However, the automotive industry also has the most to gain from advancements in coatings since a small, positive improvement can have a profound effect not only on a company or industry but also on customers.

What trends or developments do you think are shaping the future of coatings?

I think any advancement that reduces costs or complexity is, and will always be, shaping how we coat things. Coating vehicles is a messy and costly process, and anything that can be done to improve these processes will be of interest.

Are there particular industry innovations or shifts you’re excited about?

The way paint and coatings are applied is undergoing a fundamental and interesting shift. Since the beginning of my career, there has been talk about reimagining the paint shop, but I think we’re now closer than ever to actually doing that! This will help facilitate new and unique vehicles to be made in many markets.

What skills or traits do you think are essential for success in this industry?

You must be open to learning new things and willing to attack any question or problem head-on. Looking at industrial research specifically, you must be able and willing to ask “why,” and then be able to explain “why” to colleagues and management.

What advice would you give someone just starting out in the industry or considering a career in coatings?

It is unlikely you will know much about coatings unless you were part of a coatings program in college. For those that weren’t, don’t worry! As long as you learn the skills that are needed to be a good scientist or engineer, you will be just fine.

What’s something people outside the industry might not understand or be surprised to learn about working in coatings?

I think the sheer number of things that are coated in some way is surprising to non-coatings folks.

What keeps you motivated and eager to come to work each day?

Solving a new problem every day! There is always something to solve or fix or improve.

Christopher Seubert is a technical expert in Ford’s Coatings and Surfaces Research Group. During his 26 years at Ford he has worked on a variety of research topics, including color modeling, scratch and mar resistance, coatings for autonomous vehicles, weathering and durability, overspray-free applicator technology, and UV/EB coatings. Seubert has authored many peer-reviewed papers and given a series of presentations on these topics. He is also an at-large board member of RadTech.

Email: cseubert@ford.com

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