BAKELITE, Leo Baekeland & THE LEGACY OF PLASTICS - A Panel Conversation

In 1907, a Belgian chemist working in his laboratory in Yonkers, NY worked to create a new synthetic, moldable resin by exposing a combination of phenol and formaldehyde to pressure and heat. EUREKA! This determined scientist, Leo Baekeland, called his invention Bakelite launching him on a career trajectory that would put him on the cover of TIME Magazine and earn him the soubriquet of “The Father of the Plastics Industry.” Baekeland’s groundbreaking creation, perhaps best remembered for its use in colorful costume jewelry and accessories, transformed our world and has also endangered it. This panel conversation will examine Bakelite, Leo Baekeland, and the legacy of plastics.

Featured panelists include:

- Dr. Joris Mercelis, assistant professor in the Department of History of Science and Technology at Johns Hopkins University and author of BEYOND BAKELITE: Leo Baekeland and the Business of Science and Invention.

- Hugh Karraker, great-grandson of Leo Baekeland and Executive Producer of the documentary All Things Bakelite.

- Bud Mikhitarian, award-winning author and filmmaker, currently doing research on Leo Baekeland and his journals.

- Our Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey L. Meikle, Professor of American Studies at University of Texas at Austin, author of American Plastic: A Cultural History.