Rising Star: Dr. Xiaonan “Coco” Singer on Innovation, Curiosity, and the Future of PVOH
As Kuraray approaches its 100th anniversary in June 2026, that kind of thinking is what continues to move us forward. This week, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is spotlighting Dr. Xiaonan Singer Ph.D., "Coco", Technical Service & Development Engineer for Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH), as one of our #RisingStars.
From Foundation to Application
Coco earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Beijing Normal University and her PhD in polymer science and engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her journey with KAI began at MonoSol, A Kuraray Company, where she spent nearly three years studying how polymer structure and properties influence performance.
That research background is part of what drew her to KAI’s PVOH business unit. She was interested in exploring PVOH more closely and seeing how polymer science could be applied across customer needs, markets, and end uses.
“There are so many different paths within STEM and the chemical industry. Sometimes the right opportunity is one you did not even know existed yet,” she says.
Turning Material Science into Solutions
Today, Coco brings that technical foundation into a customer-facing role, helping connect PVOH’s material capabilities to real-world application needs.
What makes her a #RisingStar is not only her technical background, but the way she uses it. Coco brings curiosity, careful listening, and practical judgment to complex questions, helping turn material science into solutions with real value.
PVOH in Everyday Life
Most people use PVOH without even realizing it. Its role may often be unseen, but its impact can be found across applications in wellness, packaging, manufacturing, and everyday products that help improve performance, support functionality, and respond to evolving sustainability needs.
That perspective is part of what makes the work meaningful to Coco. By applying her knowledge of polymers, Coco feels she can contribute to solutions that matter and maximize the impact she can make through her career.
Looking Ahead
As Kuraray looks toward its next century, Coco represents the type of talent helping carry that progress forward: technically grounded, application-focused, and willing to look at familiar materials in new ways.
Her story is a reminder that innovation is not always about starting new. Sometimes, it is about asking the next question, applying what you know, and helping others see what is possible.
