Schwope helping R&D leader grow armor business

MSE graduate Lee Ann Schwope joined technology development and commercialization leader Battelle in March to help expand its armor and related defense and homeland security business. Lee Ann grew up in Orange County, N.Y., north of New York City, and earned a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering from Ohio State in 2003.

As a business development manager for Battelle’s Industrial & International Market Sector in Columbus, Lee Ann is working with the U.S. Department of Defense as well as companies that develop and manufacture vehicles and components.

Lee Ann joined Battelle from Solidica of Ann Arbor, Mich., an inventor and manufacturer of wireless network sensors, composite armor, advanced materials and other products. At Solidica, Lee Ann led the Advanced Materials Group focusing on titanium aluminde for blast armor.  She has a background in technology transition from research to production and ISO 9001:2000 implementation and certification, as well as extensive Department of Defense contract management experience.  Prior to joining the Solidica team, Lee Ann was one of the developers for a Small Arms Protective Insert armor technology program with Excera Materials Group in Columbus.

Battelle is a long-time developer of armor technology for tanks, personnel carriers and other vehicles. It first became active in the armor business during World War II when the federal government sought its help to create improved armor plating for tanks. Today, Battelle has one of the few private research facilities that operate under a Tier 1 rating at its High Energy Research Laboratory. That accreditation allows it to conduct Explosive Formed Projectile (EFP) testing using the government provided surrogate EFP devices for third-party armor developers.