[Preview] NWI’s Spring 2024 Industrial Advisory Board Meeting

The Nonwovens Institute’s (NWI’s) Spring Industrial Advisory Board Meeting will be held May 14-16 on the Centennial Campus of NC State University.

The semi-annual IAB meeting is an opportunity for member companies, government agencies, faculty and student researchers currently working through the Institute’s industry-identified fundamental research program to engage around some of the pressing challenges facing the nonwovens industry. The IAB meeting will feature the presentation of research findings, poster sessions, tours of NWI’s state-of-the-art pilot- and lab-scale nonwoven production and testing facilities, a variety of networking events, and training opportunities.

5 Reasons to Attend the IAB:

1. Review the latest findings from NWI’s industry-identified research portfolio.
2. Network with leaders in the nonwovens industry, students, faculty and NWI staff.
3. Help shape the research projects as they evolve to address current challenges.
4. Connect with top talent in nonwovens subject matter areas to support your company’s recruiting initiatives.
5. Gain a better understanding of the application and technology challenges facing the nonwovens industry today and engage with NWI’s expert staff on potential solutions.

Meeting Highlights Include:

• Student Research Project Presentations:  The meeting is kicked off by a networking lunch on May 14, followed by student project research presentations in the afternoon, and continuing through May 15. Importantly, this agenda builds in sufficient time for members to complete Student Evaluation Forms after each presentation. Member feedback is highly valued by the students and helps to determine the winners of the Best Presentation, Best Technical Merit and Best Overall awards.
• Student Poster Presentations and Networking Event: This Poster Session and Networking Event provides a great opportunity to interact with students and industry peers, while also gaining exposure to the exciting fundamental nonwovens research in a concise poster format.
• Member Introduction Presentations:  An extended lunch break on 5/15 enables members to enjoy a networking lunch and then to hear presentations from NWI member companies. 
• NWI Lab Tour: The lab tour will take place on 5/15 after all research presentations are finished. Members, faculty and students will tour NWI labs and interact with NWI’s expert staff. This is a great opportunity to see the Institute’s newest capabilities, both lab- and pilot-scale equipment, as well as NWI’s extensive analytical and filtration testing facilities.
• Networking Reception:  The Wednesday-night reception has traditionally been enjoyed as a premier networking event while enjoying hors d’oeuvres with drinks and wonderful views of the NC State University golf course and Raleigh skyline.  
• Bonus Training Course “Nonwovens — From Properties to Processes to Products”: Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., NWI’s executive director, will wrap up the IAB with a 2.5-hour training course covering some of the critical success factors for nonwovens, with an emphasis on structure-property-process relationships and how they influence end-product quality. This is a great learning experience for all levels of nonwovens professionals.  
• NEW FOR THIS IAB: IAB “Buddy Program” … We are encouraging all members to bring somebody new to the IAB. The IAB meeting is an excellent opportunity for your colleagues to gain exposure in the world of nonwovens. To help new attendees settle in, the IAB Poster Session and Reception will feature a “Buddy Program” where new attendees will be paired up with a relevant IAB veteran to share some food and drink, discuss topics of mutual interest, make introductions, and interact with the student researchers as they present their posters.

IAB Meeting Event Schedule: May 14-16, 2024

• Executive Committee Meeting: Tue. May 14, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
• IAB Student Research Presentations: Tue. May 14, 12:00 pm – Wed. May 15, 4:30 pm
• IAB Student Poster Session and Networking Reception: Tue. May 14, 4:45 pm – 6:30 pm
• NWI Facility Tours: May 15, 4:45 pm – 5:30 pm
• IAB Networking Reception: Wed. May 15, 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
• IAB Business and Project Review:  Thur. May 16, 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Bonus Training Course “Nonwovens — From Properties to Processes to Products”: May 16, 1:30pm-4:00pm

If you are an NWI member company and would like to register for the IAB meeting, please contact Jimei Wang at jwang41@ncsu.edu or +1 919-515-6582.

Would you like more information on NWI membership benefits?