Cary NC — Sept. 30, 2019 – Over 170 professionals in materials science, product development, and new technologies participated in the ninth conference edition of RISE®—Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics, Sept. 24-25th—at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event was co-organized by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, The Nonwovens Institute, and North Carolina State University.
Participants gave high praise for the focus of the three major sessions: Sustainable Additives & Polymers, Circular Innovation, and Market Data & Intelligence Trends.
“I learned a lot,” said Basak Ozturk, Senior Researcher, Hygiene, HYAT Kimya San A.S…”This conference provides valuable new nuggets of information and I always make six to eight strong connections,” commented Darryl Fournier, Vice President, North America, Fibertex Nonwovens…“I like the diversity; this is my sixth time at RISE® making connections,” said Sanjiv Malkan, Ph.D., Engineering Principal, Textile & Adhesive Engineering, Hunter Douglas…“It’s an excellent conference,” said Lee Clapp, Ph.D., Director of Market Development and Innovation, Americas, Omya Inc…“I come to learn,” said Harish Patel, R&D Director, Cardinal Health.
Highlights of the event included keynote presentations on CiCLO Sustainable Textile Technology, a technology that allows polyester to biodegrade in marine environments, wastewater treatment plants and landfill conditions, by Andrea Ferris, Chief Executive Officer, Intrinsic Advanced Materials; The U.S. Economic Outlook, by John Connaughton, PhD, Barings Professor of Financial Economics, UNC-Charlotte; and Biodegradation-Promoting Additions for Plastics – Questions You Should Ask, by Susan E. Selke, Ph.D., Director and Professor – School of Packaging, Michigan State University.
The program included presentations on Sustainable Additives, Innovations, a poster exhibition presented by The Nonwovens Institute highlighting 15 examples of new research from graduate students, and the presentation of the RISE® Innovation Award winner.
RISE® Innovation Award Presentation
The RISE® Innovation Award was presented to Surfaceskins, from Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute for its innovative antibacterial door push pads and pull handles, engineered to kill germs and bacteria in between one user and the next, thus helping prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections.
The 10th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics (RISE®) conference will again be held in September 2020 in Raleigh, NC at North Carolina University and co-organized by INDA, The Nonwovens Institute, and NC State University.
