Dr. L. Michael Burke, Jr. is the Founder and Managing Principal of ASIR Materials Corporation. Dr. Burke was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. He matriculated at Hampton University where, in 1990, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree, in Chemistry. After completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Burke accepted a position at Uniroyal Chemical Company in Middlebury, CT where he conducted temperature dependent Mooney viscosity studies on ROYALENE™ EPDM polymers. Dr. Burke returned to Georgia to pursue graduate studies.
He obtained Master of Science degrees from both the Georgia Institute of Technology and Clark Atlanta University. Afterwards, he earned his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from The University of Akron, where he studied under the internationally renowned scientist and Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Frank W. Harris, inventor of the haptic LCD films for Apple’s Generation 6 and above iPhone and iPad products.
After completing his doctoral studies, Dr. Burke worked as an Advanced Scientist at Owens Corning in Granville, OH and later in Summit, IL. In 2007, he was afforded the opportunity to return to New England as a Senior Research Associate for Fujifilm Electronic Materials, U.S.A., in Providence, RI. Although Dr. Burke had a rewarding career working for Fortune 500 companies, his true passion was to make products which would revolutionize the lives of everyday people. To that end, he entered his entrepreneurial journey by establishing ASIR Materials Corporation.
With over 30 years of experience in making contributions to scientific exploration, Dr. Burke’s outstanding research acumen has earned him both academic and professional acclaim. While pursuing his Ph.D., he earned a National Institutes of Health Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. In addition, he has also been inducted into the Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society. Dr. Burke is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemists, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and the National Technical Association (NTA).