1. OWEN SUMMERSCALES, PhD
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A chemical science and research expert with 15 years of experience in inorganic and organometallic synthesis.
A scientific thinker who is highly organized, analytical, with strong communication and written skills, and
works well on teams. A PhD graduate with 27 peer-reviewed publications and patents that have gained over
700 citations, who is a self-published author and science writer, and is authorized to work in the US on a long-
term and permanent basis.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
• Leadership and Teamwork
• Writing and Editing
• Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
• Working with and Analyzing Data
• Configuring and Maintaining Lab Equipment
• Publishing and Graphic Design
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEMONSTRATED
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY March 2012 – June 2015
A Department of Energy National Laboratory with 10,000 employees and a ~$2.5 billion annual budget focused
on national defense, energy security, and nuclear nonproliferation.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Successfully contributed to a team led by Dr. Andrew Sutton and Dr. John Gordon (C-IIAC), working full-time
on research projects focused on energy science and national security.
 Leadership and Teamwork: Won competitive funding for an independent research project aimed at
reducing the energy demands of industrial catalysis (LDRD Director's Fellowship 2012), and collaborated
with other LANL groups outside of C-Division, e.g. with a team led by Dr. Eric Heatwole (M-6) to help
identify quantify chemical hazards related to nuclear materials storage in the WIPP facility.
 Writing and Editing: Authored four peer-reviewed research papers, and reached out to company magazine
1663 to contribute as a science writer and deliver two published articles, which involved interviewing
research team leaders and effectively communicating their cutting-edge results to a general audience.
 Interpreting and Presenting Results: Regularly drafted results of findings and progress reports for my team,
in addition to presenting work at two invited seminars, at the University of New Hampshire and the
University of Hawaii, and one national science conference (American Chemical Society).
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS June 2009 – January 2012
A public research university, consistently ranked in the top ten public schools in the US, with ~40,000 students
pursuing a broad range of academic subjects.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Worked full-time as a researcher in teams led by Prof. Philip Power and Prof. Louise Berben on projects
related to fundamental main group chemistry and catalysis.
• Chemical Synthesis and Analysis: Supported the teams research efforts with significant discoveries in the
field of main group chemistry, including C-H activation of alkanes by germanium, which resulted in the
publication of six research papers in high-impact journals.
E: owensummerscales@gmail.com | T: (505) 695-4296

2. • Working with and Analyzing Data: Fully analyzed and collected X-ray diffraction single crystal data for over
60 small molecule compounds using SHELX software, requiring iterative calculations based on chemical
structure and crystal-packing hypotheses.
• Configuring and Maintaining Lab Equipment: Coordinated with a team of 15 researchers and scientists
configuring/maintaining a variety of lab equipment (e.g. gloveboxes, pressurized gas tanks, cryogenics,
solvent purification systems, etc.) and indexing commercial chemicals to facilitate their use in research.
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA May 2007 – June 2009
A public research university ranked second of all Canadian universities, with ~60,000 students focused on
Science, Arts, Medicine and Business.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Worked as a researcher in a team led by Prof. Mike Fryzuk focused on artificial nitrogen fixation/catalysis.
• Leadership and Teamwork: Won competitive funding for the prestigious Killam fellowship with a successful
research proposal, and mentored several graduate and undergraduate students in the research team.
• Configuring and Maintaining Lab Equipment: As part of a team, managed a large-scale laboratory move
over a four month period, including complete dis- and re-assembly of sensitive pieces of lab equipment
such as positive-pressure gloveboxes, Schlenk lines, and solvent purification systems.
• Working with and Analyzing Data: Consistently used MNova and MS Excel software to analyze Fourier-
transformed datasets from NMR and IR spectroscopies, regularly performing hypothesis tests to compare
functional groups, test assumptions, etc.
UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX October 2003 – January 2007
A UK public research university ranked in the top 20 of UK universities, with ~15,000 students.
Graduate Researcher
Gained my PhD as part of a team of researchers led by Prof. Geoff Cloke, working full-time on research
projects related to fundamental lanthanide and actinide chemistry.
• Writing and Editing: Authored 13 peer-reviewed papers, including a high-impact research publication in
Science (readership of ~600,000).
• Leadership and Teamwork: Worked with my professor to establish a successful collaboration with Nexia
Solutions Ltd (now known as National Nuclear Laboratory Ltd), resulting in the registration of two patents,
and worked as a teaching assistant to groups of ~30 undergraduate students in laboratory classes.
• Chemical Synthesis and Analysis: Supported research and discovery efforts by developing preparative
methods for 35 new metal-containing compounds requiring inert-gas glovebox and Schlenk line techniques,
and their complete characterization using NMR & IR spectroscopies, XRD, and GC/MS.
SELF-EMPLOYED July 2015 – Present
Regional outdoor recreation guidebook publisher.
Author, Publisher and Designer
Successfully developed and produced a 300 page guidebook from scratch, including full authorship,
photographic and graphic design, publication, and distribution.
• Writing and Editing: Worked full-time writing and editing a complex 300 page guidebook, engaging in
extensive communication with regional experts and land managers (e.g. National Forest divisions).
• Publishing and Graphic Design: Designed a full-color guidebook using Adobe InDesign software, including
the construction of over 50 spatially accurate maps. Directed the publication, distribution and promotion of
product with a 1500 copy paperback print run, and over 700 book sales to date (wholesale and retail).

3. EDUCATION
PhD (Inorganic Chemistry). Sussex University (Brighton, UK) January 2007
Master of Chemistry (Honors). Oxford University (UK) June 2003
AWARDS
 Los Alamos National Laboratory Director's Fellowship (2012): One of five postdoctoral researchers
from a variety of scientific disciplines to win this bi-annual, merit-based research award.
 Izaak Walton Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007): One of ten postdoctoral researchers from all
academic disciplines to receive this highly competitive and prestigious Canadian award.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Computer Skills: SciFinder, MestReNova (NMR), Bruker TopSpin (NMR), SHELX (XRD), XShell (XRD), ConQuest,
MS: Excel and PowerPoint, Adobe: InDesign (Advanced User), Lightroom, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Publications: 27 peer-reviewed papers and patents, full list available upon request.
Work Authorization: Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status in the United States.