Dr. Piyush Thakre, Application Development Leader for Healthcare and Hygiene business segment and Extrusion Coatings/Liquid Packaging business segment at The Dow Inc. and Nilesh Tharval, Manager of Advanced Technology and Director at i2M LLC & Digital Hub at MANN+HUMMEL were named as members of the Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) for the Nonwovens Institute (NWI) following the Institute’s Spring 2025 IAB Meeting. Piyush and Nilesh will be succeeding Rajen Patel and DeeAnn (“Dee”) Nelson as members of the SSAB. NWI wishes to express its appreciation to all four for their contributions to the nonwovens industry and to the Institute.
I look forward to contributing to NWI with my experience in industrial research, strategic innovation, and product development…
Dr. Thakre is a distinguished materials scientist and innovation leader with over 20 years of experience in advanced materials research and product development. He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, along with degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Business Management, and International Business Operations from institutions in India. He held research roles at Texas A&M, NASA Langley, and the Beckman Institute at UIUC, before joining Dow in 2013. He currently serves as an Application Development Leader at Dow’s Freeport, Texas research facility, where he drives strategic innovation across fibers, nonwovens, breathable films, elastics, and extrusion coating platforms. His work spanned diverse sectors including aerospace, transportation, energy, filtration, packaging, sustainability, consumer, hygiene and healthcare, earning him honors such as the R&D 100 Award, Edison Award, and Dow Platinum Award. A passionate advocate for Inclusion & Diversity and STEM outreach, Dr. Thakre serves on industry advisory boards at NC State’s Nonwovens Institute and the MSE departments at Texas A&M and the University of Illinois, and holds a technical division leadership role in the Society for Experimental Mechanics. He has been actively mentoring students at multiple universities and been engaged with the Nonwovens Institute since 2019. “I am honored to be able to serve on the SSAB team and look forward to contributing to NWI with my experience in industrial research, strategic innovation, and product development,” said Dr. Thakre.
My experience, strategic insight, and global perspective will permit me to contribute meaningfully to NWI…
Mr. Tharval received a diploma in Textile Technology from The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association in Mumbai, Maharashtra State, India in 2001. He earned his Bachelor’s of Technology degree in 2004 from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Mumbai, and his Masters of Technology in Textiles from The Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. His industrial career began in 2006 when he joined Supreme Nonwoven Industries Pvt. Ltd. In Vapi, Gujarat State, India. Nilesh would join MANN+HUMMEL in 2012 as a Senior Application Engineer in Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka State, India. He would then move to North Carolina in the United States where he would hold a variety of positions within MANN+HUMMEL. Mr. Tharval is currently the Manager of Advanced Technology and director of “Innovation to Market (I2M)” located in the North Carolina Research Triangle area. Nilesh specializes in staple-fiber nonwoven technologies where he has contributed to the development of over 300 nonwoven & filter products; significantly advancing capabilities in automotive, HVAC, and industrial applications including the development of a filtration product from concept to market in just 34 days during the COVID-19 pandemic which generated substantial company revenue shortly after introduction. Nilesh has been involved with NWI since 2019 “I believe that my experience, strategic insight, and global industry perspective will permit me to contribute meaningfully to strategic planning and research prioritization at NWI,” said Mr. Tharval.
The Strategic Scientific Advisory Board manages the Nonwovens Institute’s project portfolio to reflect the long-term research interests of the Institute and its member companies. The board strives to create a balanced research portfolio and to develop a depth of technical knowledge. Bryan Haynes, Ph.D.; Chairperson of the SSAB said, “Piyush, Nilesh, and their fellow advisors—along with their organizations—volunteer their time and expertise to help create this balance between academia and industry in the Institute’s research focus. They demonstrate the genuine commitment and value that NWI membership inspires.”
Key current efforts include:
- Definition of technical vision as well as challenges and knowledge gaps for the Institute,
- Portfolio management to ensure balance across the Institute’s five research thrust areas (Materials, Extrusion, Engineered Structures, Modeling, and Sustainability), and
- Assuring that the resulting portfolio of program and results enables industry value creation.
The SSAB plays several critical roles for NWI…
The SSAB consists of 6 members (plus 1 Emeritus Member) selected by NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board and provides guidance to NWI leadership with respect to strategic research programs undertaken by the Institute. As part of this, NWI allocates up to thirty (30) % of its annual dues for strategic consortium research as defined by the SSAB. In addition, the SSAB (a) makes research focus area recommendations, (b) reviews all Strategic-Research proposals & recommends priorities to the Director/Deputy-Directors, (c) attends the semi-annual meetings of NWI to receive progress reports, and (d) advises the Institute leadership with Strategic Planning. Meetings are held on a regular basis as defined by the SSAB members. “The SSAB plays several critical roles for NWI, from helping to bridge and interpret the needs of industry with the guiding principles of NWI in knowledge creation, to providing a “guiding hand” in identifying key areas and topics for research focus. Being part of the SSAB has been a rewarding and meaningful experience for me, and I wish the future members much success” said DeeAnn (“Dee”) Nelson, outgoing Chairperson of the SSAB and recently elected Member Emeritus of NWI.
Based at the Center for Technology and Innovation on 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. https://thenonwovensinstitute.com
Dow is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability to achieve profitable growth and help deliver sustainable future. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the World. Dow operates 100+ manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employs approximately 36,000 employees. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com.
MANN+HUMMEL is a leading global company in filtration technology. Under its two business units Transportation and Life Sciences & Environment, the Group develops intelligent filtration and separation solutions that enable cleaner mobility, cleaner air, cleaner water, and cleaner industry. Thus, the company makes an important contribution to a clean earth and the sustainable use of limited resources. To learn more, visit www.mann-hummel.com
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