Students Recognized for Excellence at Fall 2025 IAB Meeting

Bringing together the best of both industry and academia is a hallmark of The Nonwovens Institute (NWI).  Located in the heart of the vibrant Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NWI is an innovative global partnership between industrial practitioners in both the Private and Public sectors and academia resulting in unique opportunities for graduate students across a variety of technical disciplines at the university.  

As noted by Dr. Constantine Megaridis located at The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and one of NWI’s extended academic colleagues who led the Institute’s 2020 5-year Review, “Students commented upon the strength of the faculty associated with NWI and the linkage between industrial members of The Institute and their research work.”  Students highlighted that “NWI offers us an opportunity to work with ‘real world’ experts and technical leaders to a far greater degree than our peers.”

The opportunity for these students to present their work uniquely prepares them for future careers

One of the most important functions of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) is the review of graduate student projects at its bi-annual meetings.  Here, technical experts from across the industry listen to and provide feedback upon student presentations regarding their research as well as learn themselves from the students’ work.  “The opportunity for these students to present their work before a group of true academic and industry experts uniquely prepares them for future careers,” said Dr. Raoul Farer, NWI’s Executive Deputy Director.

In May 2025, students presented their work to the IAB after which the Board recognized four students  for their outstanding work.  These students were recently recognized at the Fall IAB meeting.

Best Technical Awards: Darshana Malusare – “Exploring Adsorbent Particulate Deposition for Functionalization of Spunbond Webs and Fibers” and Shyam Atri – “Computational-Experimental Study on Particle Removal via Electrically Charged Multilayer Nonwovens.”  These awards recognize the technical excellence of the student’s work which is at the heart of the activities of each student at NC State.  

Best Technical Awards

These awards recognize the technical excellence of the student’s work which is at the heart of the activities of each student at NC State.  

Darshana Malusare

Exploring Adsorbent Particulate Deposition for Functionalization of Spunbond Webs and Fibers

Darshana received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, Maharashatra State, India in 2020 then subsequently joined Deccan Fine Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. In Goa, India as a Graduate Engineering Trainee.  She began her doctoral studies at NC State in the fall of 2022 and expects to earn her Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in 2027.   

Darshana is a student of  Dr. Hooman Tafreshi (Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and Dr. Saad Khan (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering).  She has received guidance from NWI Members Dr. Andreas Scope (Mann+Hummel), Dr. Bryan D. Haynes (Kimberly-Clark), Dr. DeeAnn Nelson (NWI Emeritus, formerly Avgol Nonwovens), Dr. Perry Potnis (Halyard) and Dr. SA (Ravi) Ravishankar (Saint-Gobain).

Darshana has presented her research at various conferences including the IDEA Show in Miami Beach, FL (2025); NWI Industrial Advisory Board Meetings in Raleigh, NC (2023-2025); the Schoenborn Research Symposium (2024-2025) and RISE® (2024) in Raleigh, NC; and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA (2024). 

Along with her studies, Darshana is co-leader of the NWI Student Researcher Group where students from various disciplines join together to develop technical competencies, learn communications, group dynamics and leadership skills while supporting each other along academic journeys.  https://thenonwovensinstitute.com/nwi-student-researcher-group-activities-2024-25/

Shyam Atri

Computational-Experimental Study on Particle Removal via Electrically Charged Multilayer Nonwovens

Shyam received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 from The People’s Education Society Institute of Technology in Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka State, India and his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (Computational Mechanics) from The University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles in 2017.  During his study at USC, he joined ANSYS, Inc. in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA as a software engineering intern before accepting a full-time position as a Continuous Improvement Engineer with The Huf Group in Greenville, Tennessee, USA.  Shyam would start his pursuit of his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at NC State in 2021 with the guidance of Dr. Hooman Tafreshi (Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi (Nonwovens Institute).  He anticipates graduation in Dec 2025.  He has received guidance from NWI members Dr. Martin Lehmann (Mann+Hummel), Dr. Nagendra Anantharamaiah (Hollingsworth & Vose), Dr. Perry Potnis (Owens & Minor) and Dr. John Algers (Procter & Gamble).

Shyam is a student of the Porous Media and Multiphase flow laboratory of NC State’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Shyam has presented is work in numerous conferences namely as a guest speaker in RISE® Conference held in 2023 where he spoke about his work on “Macroscale Simulation of N95 Respirators.”  He also presented a poster about his work at RISE® in 2023, and 2024, and at IDEA earlier this year.  Shayam the recipient of “Leon Memorial Scholarship” within NC State’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. 

Best Presentation Award

The award recognizes the student’s ability to clearly communicate the progress and value of their work to the membership.  Such an ability is crucial in both future academic or commercial career paths.

Justin Sehlin

Hydrodynamic Forces for Processing of Low Melting Temperature of PHAs

Justin received his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Gustavas Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota, USA in 2023 and his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, USA in August of this year (2025).  Justin has been Teaching and Research Assistant at Iowa State for the past two years and was a reviewer for The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Journal of Biomedical Engineering this summer.   He plans to work in industry and is currently searching for his next role.

Justin was a student of Dr. Nicole Hashemi, formerly of Iowa State’s department of Mechanical Engineering (currently of The University of Missouri’s departments of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and collaborated with Dr. Ericka Ford at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles. He also received guidance from NWI members Dr. Bryan D. Haynes (Kimberly-Clark), Dr. DeeAnn Nelson (NWI Emeritus, formerly Avgol Nonwovens), as well as others associated with The Nonwovens Institute during his studies.

Justin has presented his research in both oral and poster formats at the NWI Industrial Advisory Board Meetings in Raleigh, NC during 2024 and 2025.

“It was a great experience partnering with North Carolina State and NWI on this project focused on processing low-melting-temperature PHAs,” said Dr. Hashemi who is now a MizzouForward Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The University of Missouri.  “Through this collaboration, we combined our complementary expertise and advanced our understanding of material behavior to support future development of biodegradable bio-based polymers.”

Best Overall Award

Anicah Smith O’Brien

Effect of Surface Coatings on Biodegradability and Functional Properties of Model Pure and Blended Biopolymer Substrates

Anicah received her Bachelor’s of Chemical Engineering Degree from the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 2022 where she was also an Undergraduate Student Researcher in the Department of Chemical and materials Engineering.  She started her doctoral studies in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State in 2022 and anticipates graduation in December 2026.  She is a student of Dr. Morton Barlaz (Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering) and Dr. Saad Khan (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering).  Her work is further supported by industrial guidance from Dr. Abhay Joijode (Magnera Corporation), Dr. Sathanjheri Ravishankar (Saint-Gobain), Dr. DeeAnn Nelson (NWI Member Emeritus, formerly Avgol Nonwovens), Dr. Bryan Haynes (Kimberly Clark), Dr. Matt O’Sickey (INDA), Mr. Daniel Ellingson (Fibertex Nonwovens), and Dr. Hooman Amid (Saint-Gobain). 

Anicah has presented her research at several professional conferences in both oral and poster formats, including the IDEA Show in Miami Beach, FL (2025); NWI Industrial Advisory Board Meetings in Raleigh, NC (2023-2025); the Schoenborn Research Symposium in Raleigh (2023-2025); RISE® in Raleigh (2024); and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA (2024).   She has previously been recognized for her outstanding work and presentations at 2023 and 2024 IAB meetings.

These presentations provide an opportunity to boldly explore new ideas

NWI, its Leadership, Faculty, Staff and Membership congratulate each of these outstanding students and wishes them well in their future endeavors.  Outgoing NWI Deputy Director Tom Daugherty commented, “These presentations provide an opportunity for students and members alike to boldly explore new ideas, methods, and perspectives, and to challenge existing assumptions and paradigms.” 

As long-time practitioners,
we are energized by interacting with the next generation

Membership representatives have agreed that the Student Presentations ranked highly as the “most helpful/informative” aspect of the semi-annual IAB meetings.  “As long-time practitioners, we are also energized by interacting with the next generation,” added Dr. DeeAnn (“Dee”) Nelson, Outgoing Chairperson of NWI’s Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) and Emeritus Member of the Institute.

Are you are interested in engaging with NWI as a graduate student researcher?

The Nonwovens Institute is a membership-based fundamental research institute serving leading companies/organizations across the nonwovens value chain, from raw material to end-use. NWI research aims to enable strategic R&D efforts by member companies who are seeking to forge next-generation fiber- and polymer-based materials and products. At the end of this value-added research pipeline are revolutionary and often life-enhancing products for both industrial and consumer markets. Research thrust areas are industry-selected and research results are considered proprietary to the Institute and its member companies.

Are you interested in NWI membership and member benefits?

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. thenonwovensinstitute.com   NWI supports Master’s- and Ph.D.-level students pursuing advanced studies in fiber and polymer science, chemical and bimolecular engineering, wood and paper science, textile engineering, color chemistry and other disciplines.  https://thenonwovensinstitute.com/for-students/

North Carolina State University is a pre-eminent teaching and research enterprise that excels across disciplines and contributes more than $6.5 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy. More than 37,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn by doing — pursuing original research, starting new companies, forging connections with top employers, and serving local and global communities. NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divide between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Together, they build powerful partnerships with government, industry, nonprofits and academia to remake our world for the better. www.ncsu.edu