YANG GAO
Driver + Implementer
3510 N Pine Grove Ave, Apt 406
Build the change we wish to see, responsibly and sustainably.
Chicago, IL 60657
Yang.Gao@id.iit.edu
(765) 337-8231
Objective: To pursue a Design Strategy/Product Design Lead position with Sustainable Design focus, in southern California.
Professional Experience
Product Design Lead in New Product Development, Gum Formulation Technology, Global Science and Technology
Global Innovation Center, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Chicago IL
May 11-Present
•Hold 3 Product Design Patents (App-29512736, 29512744, 29512752), 1 pending and 4 other utility patents
•Translate market trend and user-focused demand into powerful prototyping to bring a new business growth direction for Wrigley gum
(gain support from Mars Family, Wrigley R&D and Marketing Senior Leadership within 2 week time-frame)
•Frame business opp and deliver consumer insight research and technical feasibility assessment to maximize ROI with x-segment teams
•Successfully launch various high-class NPD projects across various regions and provide solutions for factory challenges
•Design R&D on-boarding training program for global capability building
•Mentor and recruiter for Wrigley summer intern program
•Introduce Design Thinking and User-focused concept to Wrigley Science & Technology groups
•Bridge connections between Design team and Global Science and Technology
•Create and execute the welcome board design for Wrigley Corporate Innovation Center
•Introduce novel design elements and incorporate Consumer Insights into gum and mint products
•Create NPD formulation Standards/Best Practice/Training for cross-functional teams and perform scale up procedures
•Pilot, implement, trouble-shoot new ingredient/processing technologies for global product enhancement with x-functional partners
•Participate in cross-segment Science and Technology Committee within Mars to collaborate and share expertise and learning
•Develop, test and evaluate new alternative formulations/products and participate in the development of new or modified manufacturing processes
•Communicate results and recommendations of research internally to CIO/CFO, x-functional teams and x-segment key stakeholders
•Contribute to Wrigley Supplier Core Program to identify area of technical needs, lead external collaboration and provide guidance
•Successful appeal of competitor's patent
Activities
•Lead external collaboration projects with consultants, suppliers and researchers
•Education Program Volunteer at MCA-Chicago
•Coordination Chair at Wrigley Community
•Perfumer & Flavorist, Flavorcon, Weurman Flavor
•Wrigley Science and Technology Committee
•IFT Food Product Development Competition
•Pilot cross-functional collaboration between design team and GST
•Mentor and recruiter for Wrigley summer intern program
•Improve corporate stats community to enhance associates' stats capability
•Coordination Chair for Wrigley BOND Committee to improve campus engagement
•Indiana Yearly Soybean Innovation Competition
Education
•Teaching Excellence College Training
•Phi Tau Sigma Honorary Society
•Purdue Idea to Product Competition
•Vice President, Art and Entertaining Committee
•Executive Master of Design Methods, Institute of Design, Chicago, IL Aug 15-May 17
•M.S. in Food Chemistry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL
Aug 08-May 11
•B.S. in Food Science Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Aug 06-May 08
•B.S. in Biological Science China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Aug 04-May 06
Teaching Assistant
• Department of Crop Science, UIUC. Advanced Statistics
• Department of FSHN, UIUC. Food Sci Introduction.
Aug 09- May11
Jan 09- May 11
Research Assistant (Collaboration with Flavor of North Ameica Int’l, Geneva, IL)
Dr. Shelly Schmidt, Department of FSHN, UIUC
Aug 08-May11
• Design new encapsulation formula to improve the stability of flavor microcapsules
• Provide technology consultations for company R&D, application and quality control
• Lead general Engineering dept senior design project
• Develop novel method for aw and moisture measurement
Flavor Chemist Internship
Sensient-tech Flavor Inc, Indianapolis, IN
• Flavor creation through critical flavor profile analysis
May 08-Aug 08
• Conduct projects for high quality requirements in Europe
• Collaborate with R&D, QA and Sales for business meeting and EU color division seminar
• Troubleshoot instrumental problems and suggest low cost alternatives
Discovery Park Undergraduate Scholarship Internship
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Aug 07-May 08
•Successfully deliver novel tool to detect adulteration of extra virgin olive oil
Research Assistant
Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University
• Apply starch chemical/physical attributes into processing
• Recommend ideal conditions for infant formula
Jan 07-May 08
• Mars Flavor Technical Core Team (x-segment)
• YOCA Technology Mentor
Awards
•Discovery Park Research Scholarship
•Graduate Student Symposium Excellence Certificate
•Graduate Student Holmes Merit Award
•Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society
•Fred J. Babel Memorial
•Phi Tau Sigma Honorary Society
•University Excellent Student Award
Computer Skills
•SAS,Minitab Statistical analysis
•Tableu Visualization Analysis
•Operation System: Mac, Windows XP/Vista
•Advanced Microsoft office package, Adobe Editor
•Computational Formulation System
•Visual Basic Programming
Certificates
•Project Management at Mars
•Sensient Colors LLC Fundamentals of Food Color
•Technology Course
•Flavor University-Flavor 101, 102
•Base Academy Ingredients and Formulation
•Leading Without Authority