Jesse Phillips, Ph.D.

• Provide executive leadership for scientific strategy, Research & Development, Quality Assurance, and analytical laboratory operations supporting large-scale tobacco manufacturing and product development initiatives. • Oversee ISO 17025 accredited laboratory systems responsible for product testing, regulatory support, and analytical method development. • Align R&D and QA strategy with corporate objectives, supporting executive leadership in product innovation, regulatory readiness, and operational decision-making. • Direct cross-functional collaboration between manufacturing, regulatory, and technical teams to ensure product performance, compliance, and quality standards. • Lead development and implementation of scientific programs that support product development, regulatory submissions, and ongoing product stewardship. • Guide laboratory infrastructure, analytical capabilities, and scientific staff development to maintain high standards of technical rigor and operational efficiency. • Contribute to executive decision-making related to product strategy, regulatory positioning, and long-term scientific innovation.

o Lead and manage team of scientists and researchers overseeing all aspects of scientific testing, analysis and quality assurance. o Foster culture of quality, accuracy and continuous improvement within the scientific team. o Develop and manage scientific budgets. o Communicate scientific findings and recommendations to executive team and other stakeholders. o Develop and implement strategies to obtain ISO 17025 certification for new testing facility. o Ensure lab operates under ISO 17025 and relevant industry standards and regulations. o Lead company’s wastewater runoff and waste disposal governance. o Served as subject matter expert on International Trade Committee anti-dumping case. o Drove scientific initiative to obtain substantial equivalency orders from FDA for manufactured products. o Maintain current knowledge of industry trends and advancements in scientific research and testing.

o Maintained laboratory operations and processes that were efficient and effective and met or exceeded industry standards. o Identified opportunities for scientific innovation and improvement through collaboration with other departments. o Analyzed and interpreted scientific data to make informed decisions.

o Managed day-to-day operation of research lab including materials acquisition, instrument maintenance and experimental design and oversaw research group of 15 undergraduate students. o As president of the Graduate Chemistry Student Association (GCSA), designed and implemented first annual Spring Seminar Series, bringing high-quality speakers from across the country. o Determined and optimized methods for nanoscale surface modification of various metals. o Investigated unique chemical and physical properties of nanomaterials for new metal coating technologies. o Discovered new engineering processes that enhanced oxidation prevention at a metal surface while maintaining extreme thermal stability. o Applied materials science and electrochemical techniques to investigate novel nanoscale chemistries. o Investigated unique chemical and physical properties of nanomaterials for new metal coating technologies using EC-STM, AFM, SEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR and ICP-MS. o Presented research findings at over ten international, national and regional professional meetings.

o Wrote grant application and received funding in collaboration with lead researcher in quantum energy and materials research group. o Designed and implemented experiments and analyzed data using ultra-high-vacuum microscopy to investigate surface-mediated monolayers. o Worked on the discovery of novel self-assembled monolayers with implications to origin of homochirality. o Published paper, “Amino Acid Immobilization of Copper Surface Diffusion on Cu(111)”, in Advanced Materials Interfaces in 2019. o Conducted research using UHV-LT-STM to modify metallic surfaces with amino acids. o Investigated role of chirality on molecular coating formation.

o Wrote grant application and received funding in collaboration with lead researcher of NAI Icy Worlds. o Collaborated on novel mineral sample preparation, designing ion transportation to prevent oxidation. o Analyzed surface using atomic force microscopy to improve understanding of various physical properties mimicking celestial bodies. o Used EC-AFM to investigate redox active sites on various mineral surfaces.