Dr. M. Lou Balmer-Millar

balmer_millarDr. Lou Balmer-Millar is the Director of Research and Advanced Engineering for Caterpillar Inc. In her role as director, Lou is responsible for execution and governance of Caterpillar’s technology strategy.  She oversees technology development in the areas of Energy and Power Systems, Machine and Machine Systems, Automation and Enterprise Solutions, Advanced Materials, Virtual Product Development, and Advanced Manufacturing.  In previous roles at Caterpillar, Lou led the introduction of diesel particulate filter products as part of the Aftertreatment & Cooling Product group and held the role of Product Manager for Caterpillar’s Fuel Systems division.  Lou currently serves as the Caterpillar representative on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Engine Manufacturers Association and has served on the Board of the Energy Technology Institute.  She joined Caterpillar in 2001 following 7 years leading research efforts in the areas of materials and chemical engineering at the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Lou earned a BS in Engineering from Penn State University in 1987 and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1993.  She has authored or co-authored over 40 technical publications.  She is a member of the American Ceramic Society, the American Chemical Society, and the Society of Automotive Engineers.