The Industrial Advisory Board of The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) elected two new leaders for its Executive Committee. Mr. Joshua Weed was elected to a two-year term as Chairperson, succeeding Dr. Raoul Farer, who served in the role since 2022. Dr. Bryan Haynes was elected to a two-year term as Vice Chairperson, succeeding Mr. Weed.
Mr. Weed received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, and his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, USA, where he focused on compatibilizing natural, plant-based fibers with low-density polyethylene for use in fiber-reinforced composites. In 2014, he joined NatureWorks, LLC, as an Applications Engineer and after experience in several positions of increasing responsibility, is now Lead Scientist and Technology Manager located in Plymouth, Minnesota, USA. Mr. Weed specializes in areas of polymer characterization, crystallization kinetics, and mathematical modeling.
Over the past four years, Mr. Weed has utilized his expertise to serve as Industry Advisor for multiple graduate students in NWI’s industry-selected fundamental research program.
Over the past four years, Mr. Weed has utilized his expertise to serve as Industry Advisor for multiple graduate students in NWI’s industry-selected fundamental research program. This opportunity for students to actively engage with industry experts is one of the outstanding features of the graduate degree program available at NC State and NWI. He was elected to NWI’s Executive Committee in October 2022 and became Vice Chairman in February 2024. Joshua has also been an active member of the Upper Midwest Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) where he has served on its Board of Directors since 2016 and is currently the Education Chair.
Dr. Haynes received his B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. During his graduate studies Dr. Haynes specialized in the aerodynamics and polymer processing of the meltblowing process. He taught full time in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering prior to joining Kimberly-Clark Corporation as a Research Scientist in 1992. While working at Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Dr. Haynes has held various positions in research and engineering including an assignment as Technical Team Manager at the Lexington Mill in North Carolina and as Director of Research and Engineering in Global Nonwovens supporting Kimberly-Clark’s various businesses. He currently holds the position of Senior Technical Director for Global Nonwovens. Dr. Haynes has published several papers and has obtained over 40 U.S. Patents during his Kimberly-Clark career.
Dr. Haynes has received several awards, including the Kimberly-Clark Technical Excellence Award, the 2012 Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award from the Society of Women Engineers, and most recently he received the 2017 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
Dr. Haynes has received several awards, including the Kimberly-Clark Technical Excellence Award, the 2012 Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award from the Society of Women Engineers, and most recently he received the 2017 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. He is also an Adjunct Professor at The University of Tennessee in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering. He serves on several Industrial Advisory Boards, including Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology; Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Georgia; and at The Nonwovens Institute at NC State University where he is Vice Chair of NWI’s Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB). He also serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary for Georgia FIRST, which is a non-profit organization that supports STEM programs in Georgia.
The strong tie between industry and academia is a hallmark of NWI. Each of the Institute’s more than 45 member organizations have representation on the Industrial Advisory Board. The IAB reviews proposed and existing programs and recommends alternatives or additions and provides review over Institute budgets and policies. The IAB also elects the nine-member Executive Committee, which offers higher level member oversight and policy guidance. In addition, the Executive Committee makes recommendations to the Institute’s leadership with regard to the composition of the Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) and collaborates with leadership to select SSAB members. Many of the IAB and SSAB members actively mentor NC State graduate students in NWI’s nonwovens fundamental research program and act as ambassadors for the Institute across the industry.
“Having strong technical leadership guiding the Institute’s programs assures that NWI’s programs are well aligned with the needs of the industry,” said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., Executive Director of NWI. “We are fortunate to have the expertise and experience that Joshua, Bryan and all of our IAB members bring to NWI.”
“Each of the IAB members – and their respective companies – see great value from membership in The Nonwovens Institute,” commented NWI Deputy Director Tom Daugherty, “They are willing to contribute their time and effort as ‘sweat equity’ to ensure its continued success.”
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Based at the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University, The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) is a consortium of stakeholders spanning the breadth of the nonwovens value chain. Operating on an “Open Innovation” platform and covering the full Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range, NWI engages industry, government and academia to enable next-generation nonwoven solutions to mission-critical challenges.
NatureWorks is an advanced materials company offering a broad portfolio of renewably sourced polymers and chemicals. With performance and economics that compete with oil-based materials, naturally advanced Ingeo™ biomaterials are valued for their unique functional properties and used in applications from compostable rigid and flexible food packaging to hygiene products and 3D printing materials. NatureWorks is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest ASEAN leading integrated petrochemical and refining company, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, which provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. https://www.natureworksllc.com
Kimberly-Clark and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, & an understanding of people’s most essential needs, the company creates products that help individuals experience more of what’s important to them. The company uses sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, & ensure the business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company’s 150-year history of innovation, visit https://www.kimberly-clark.com/.
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