Independent characterization and first-principles science for teams developing polymers, membranes, and advanced material systems.
We help organizations bridge the gap between materials processing, structure, and performance. Whether scaling a process from lab to commercial production or troubleshooting a critical failure, Highland delivers clear, fundamental insights to make confident engineering decisions.
Synthesis, parameters & scale-up limits
Characterization & fundamental MSE
Reliability, yield & future-proofing
Highland is led by James “Jay” Tuggle, PhD — a materials scientist with two decades of experience spanning national laboratory research and industrial manufacturing leadership.
Jay holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech, where his research focused on superconducting RF cavities, including instrumentation and characterization work conducted in collaboration with Jefferson Lab, Fermilab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LCLS-II), and Cornell University.
Earlier in his career, Jay led the microscopy and physical testing laboratory at Polymer Solutions Incorporated, directing failure analysis and testing programs for polymer, metal, ceramic, and composite systems. His work included serving as a technical expert in litigation cases, as well as leading projects regulated under FDA, DEA, ITAR, GMP, and ISO 17025 quality systems.
In 2019, Jay joined NALA Membranes as its first hire, building the company's product engineering and manufacturing platform. Most recently he spearheaded the stand-up of a 15,000-square-foot coating facility, helping complete the trip from ideation to commercial manufacturing for NALA's game-changing RO membranes.
We rely on state-of-the-art characterization and fundamental MSE principles to uncover facts, not guesswork.
Data is useless without direction. We translate complex analytical findings into actionable manufacturing answers.
No ivory towers. We work alongside your engineering teams with transparency, humility, and clear communication.
We don't just solve today's bottleneck; we map your process limits to prevent tomorrow's failure during scale-up.
Jay Tuggle, PhD — Highland Materials Characterization & Consulting
jtuggle@materialshelp.com