Scott Cooper, Technical Director of CelSian Glass USA, found his way to Toledo for a career in Glass Science. After 11 years at O-I Glass, advancing from a staff scientist to the global leader in glass science, in 2023 he started CelSian Glass USA, the American branch of a Dutch glass engineering firm. The mission of CelSian is to collaborate with glass manufacturers to tackle the industry’s most challenging technical issues. Earlier this year the Department of Energy awarded CelSian a $3 million grant to lead a team researching decarbonizing the glass melting processes, a significant step towards sustainable glass production.  

Since 2018,Cooper has served on the board of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC), the national trade association for the glass industry, transforming it into an active force within the industry. In 2022 as President of GMIC, Cooper visited Washington and lobbied for funding large-scale industrial decarbonization projects. As a result, O-I, Libby and Gallo Glass secured $245 million in grants. He also helped define the strategy, author portions of the application and defined participation of the local universities for a Glass Innovation Hub in the region. On July 1, Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Development selected this proposal as Ohio’s first innovation hub investment, allocation $31 million in state funding over three years. CelSian Glass USA will provide management for this transformative project.  

Cooper was the recipient of the national “Karl Schwartzwalder Professional Achievement in Ceramic Engineering Award” in 2023, acknowledging exceptional contributions to ceramic engineering by leaders who have significantly impacted both the industry and scientific community. In 2022, he organized “The Gathering,” a retreat for glass scientists and artists working in glass, which received seed funding from the United Nations. This workshop fostered grassroots collaboration among glass innovators. He is currently serving on the hiring committee for a senior professor in glass science at the University of Toledo, and on the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee. 

Cooper is a graduate of the University of Arizona and earned a PhD from the University of Florida. The International Year of Glass in 2022 was a turning point for Cooper, giving him the confidence to leave a secure job and embark on a journey to “future-proof glass” here in the Glass City with a goal of becoming the leading glass industry expert in the U.S.