Cynthia Hoover

Cynthia Hoover, PhD ’95, is an Executive Director at Linde (formerly Praxair). Prior to that, she was named Director, Adsorption R&D in 2014. She is responsible for development of advanced materials and systems for pre-purification of air for the production of high purity oxygen, nitrogen and argon in large on-site air separation processes, production of oxygen utilizing vapor pressure swing adsorption systems, purification of hydrogen and purification carbon dioxide. She manages a technology group based in Tonawanda, NY. She also is a leader in the Campus recruiting program, Connections mentoring program and the company's R&D lunch and learn seminar series.

Hoover joined Praxair in March of 1997 in research and development as a development associate in Electronics R&D and subsequently held positions as an Electronics R&D Manager, the Electronics R&D Director, Director of Breakthrough Innovation, and Director of Applications R&D. 

Hoover holds eight patents and has over thirty peer reviewed journal articles and presentations. Most recently she presented a seminar at the Society of Women’s Engineer’s conference on identifying and commercializing new technology. 

Hoover is the co-chair of the University at Buffalo Chemical and Biological Engineering Advisory board and is an active participant in the University of Buffalo's Dean of Engineering Advisory Board. She holds numerous awards including the George W. Thorn outstanding University at Buffalo alumni, Business First’s Forty under Forty award, University at Buffalo’s College of Arts & Science Outstanding Recent Alumni Award, National Academy of Engineering Young Engineer Award and Praxair’s Technology Innovation Award.

Hoover has a BS degree in Chemistry from SUNY College at Fredonia and a PhD degree in synthetic organometallic chemistry from the University at Buffalo.

Hoover joined the Dean's Advisory Council in 2012.