Dr. Sumin Zhu believes that people with expertise in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can use their know-how to help them become successful entrepreneurs.

That concept may sound straightforward, but Zhu, a materials scientist-turned-CEO, says it’s a message that needs to be further emphasized to students and young professionals.

“Business leaders with STEM-focused backgrounds can bring so much helpful knowledge and insight to the table for their organizations,” he says. “They can fully appreciate the technology behind their products and have a better all-around perspective of the company’s work.”

Zhu, who earned a Ph.D. in ceramic engineering at Missouri S&T in 2008, leads two businesses — a battery technology startup company called Ampcera and MSE Supplies, a laboratory product e-commerce company.

He says his time at Missouri S&T has helped him further develop an entrepreneurial mindset, but he has always been interested in bridging his knowledge and expertise in the engineering world with everything that comes with the business world.

Zhu completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in materials science and engineering in China in 2002 and 2005, respectively, before traveling to Rolla, Missouri, to pursue his Ph.D.

At S&T, he says he continued to feel the urge to learn more about business principles along with his engineering curriculum, which led to him enrolling in an engineering management course focused on strategic management of technology and innovation.

“It wasn’t a required class for my major, but my Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Bill Fahrenholtz, supported me taking it,” he says. “It helped open my eyes to the business world, and I found a whole new realm of possibilities for what I could do with my education and experiences.”

After he graduated in 2008, Zhu worked in industrial research and development roles related to materials science and engineering, but as time progressed, his focus shifted more to marketing and management of new product development.

“There is so much value in being curious and gaining knowledge not directly related to the scientific components of your industry,” Zhu says. “From there, you can also learn how the pieces of information are all connected to make society function.”

In late 2014, Zhu, along with one of his former schoolmates, co-founded MSE Supplies, which provides advanced materials and laboratory equipment to researchers and professionals across multiple industries.

Three years later, Zhu co-founded Ampcera, which has received support from the U.S. Department of Energy and venture capital investors to develop materials technologies for solid-state batteries to be used in next-generation electric vehicles with longer drive range, ultra-fast charging and superior safety.

Zhu says his path to becoming a CEO was not easy, but it is something other engineers and scientists can achieve if they believe in themselves and remain focused on their goals.

“I would encourage students to try to do something entrepreneurial while they’re still in school,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be anything huge. Lean into your strengths.

“That way, once you graduate, you will already have that type of experience under your belt and will have learned valuable lessons. Remember that if somebody else can do it, you can do it, too.”

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.