Paul Roessler

About Paul
Age: 56
Title: Chief Scientific Officer
Company: Algenol Biofuels
Headquarters: Bonita Springs
Challenge: Commercialize the production of ethanol from algae for less than $1 a gallon.
Education: M.S. degree in plant physiology from Michigan State University and Ph.D. in biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Hometown: Evansville, Ind.
First job: “My first job was as a caddy, and I had no idea what I was doing,” Roessler laughs. He was 14.
Love of science: “I had a professor who made the subject interesting,” Roessler says.

Algae pioneer
Roessler started research on the subject of plant-based energy at the Solar Research Institute starting in 1980, where he worked on hydrogen production from algae. His Ph.D. from the University in Colorado in 1987 focused on making oil-based fuels from algae.

Working for Craig Venter
Most recently, Roessler was vice president of renewable fuels and chemicals at Synthetic Genomics, a company founded and led by Craig Venter, the celebrated scientist who sequenced the human genome in 2001. At Synthetic Genomics, Roessler led a program to develop renewable fuels and chemicals from algae. About Venter, Roessler says: “He thinks big and he pushes you more.”
On Paul Woods, chairman, founder, CEO and president of Algenol: “Paul's an energetic guy. He pushes for success,” Roessler says. “He's fairly outspoken. He's got a clear vision on where he's taking the company.”