SEPTEMBER 26-27, 2023
North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC
SEPTEMBER 26-27, 2023
North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC

RISE® 2022 Conference Schedule

Tuesday, September 27

Breakfast Connections
8:00 am - 8:30 am

RISE® 2022 - Student Posters

8:30 am - 5:00 pm

RISE® 2022 - Welcome

8:30 am - 8:35 am

Moderator: Dave Rousse, President Emeritus, INDA

Towards a More Circular Industry

8:35 am - 10:05 am

Moderator: Robert Green, Vice President of Performance Polymers , NatureWorks

Achieving Supply Chain Circularity
Kat Knauer, Ph.D., Program Manager - V Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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Sustainable Fibers – Developments and the Future
Jason Locklin, Ph.D., Director, University of Georgia - New Materials Institute
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Coffee & Networking Break
10:05 am - 10:30 am

Advancements in Sustainable Inputs: PLA

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Moderator: Ralph Moody, Sr. Director R&D, Berry Global

PLA & PLA Blends: Practical Aspects of Extrusion
Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor, and Executive Director, The Nonwovens Institute, North Carolina State University
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Biobased Multicomponent Structures Providing Unique Characteristics and Sustainable Properties to Nonwovens
Kristel Beckers, Sr. Application Technician, Total Corbion PLA
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Thinking Differently: In a Changing World What’s Next for NatureWorks and Polylactic Acid Polymers (PLA)
Liz Johnson, Ph.D., VP Technology, NatureWorks LLC
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Buffet Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Coffee & Networking Break
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Developments in Natural Fibers I

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Moderator: Nick Carter, Vice-President of Marketing, Avgol Nonwovens

Exploring Natural Fibers in Nonwovens
Paul Latten, Director of Research & Development & New Business, Southeast Nonwovens, Inc.
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Hemp is Strong – Are You?
Olaf Isele, Strategic Product Development Director, Trace Femcare, Inc.
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Coffee & Networking Break
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Developments in Natural Fibers II

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Moderator: Olaf Isele, Strategic Product Development Director, Trace Femcare, Inc.

Mitigation of Quat Incompatibility with Cotton and other Cellulosic-based Substrates
Doug Hinchliffe, Ph.D., Research Molecular Biologist, USDA-ARS
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Fiber and Web Finishes…. What Are They and What Can They Do for Your Products?
Kay McCoy, Technical Sales Representative, Pulcra Chemicals LLC
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2022 RISE® Innovation Award Presentations

4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

The RISE® Innovation Award will recognize innovation in areas within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry which utilizes advanced science and engineering principles to develop unique or intricate solutions to problems and advance the usage of nonwovens.
RISE Innovation Award

SERO® Hemp Fibre
Jason Finnis, Executive Vice President & Chief Innovation Officer, Bast Fibre Technologies, Inc.
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Biodegradable Diaper Components
Lars Heepe, Ph.D., Head of Research & Development, Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG
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Cat Litter Made from Recycled Nappies
Cynthia Barnicoat, CEO, DiaperRecycle
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Reception & NWI Facility Tour

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

RSVP Required - Limited to 50 attendees

Wednesday, September 28

Breakfast Connections
8:00 am - 8:30 am

Sustainable Inputs: Fibers & Biofibers

8:30 am - 10:30 am

Moderator: Jeffrey Bassett, Managing Director, Fi-Tech Inc.

Redesigning Plastics to be Recyclable-by-Design
Kat Knauer, Ph.D., Program Manager - V Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
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Stereochemistry Strategies to Toughen Sugar Based Polymers and Degradable Elastomers
Matthew Becker, Ph.D., Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor, Duke University
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The Global Plastic Crisis: Who Will Be the Winners/Losers in The Marketplace?
Bryan Haynes, Ph.D., Senior Technical Director, Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
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Novel Biobased Resins Outperforming Plastics and Other Biodegradable Biopolymers
Steven Sherman, CEO, BioLogiQ, Inc.
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Coffee & Networking Break
10:30 am - 11:00 am

Waste Not, Want Not - Sustainable Inputs from Waste Products

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Moderator: Matt O'Sickey, Ph.D., Director of Education & Technical Affairs, INDA

Potential Nonwoven Applications of Tree-Free Fibres Made from Microbial Cellulose
Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC
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Ultra Fine Polyester Fibers for Nonwovens
Akari Yamamoto, Business Development & Sales, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd.
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Yusuke Suzuki, Global Market Analysis & Sales, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd.
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Buffet Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Coffee & Networking Break
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Economic Insights & Market Intelligence

2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Moderator: Meghan Holliday, Associate Director, Nonwovens Marketing, Cotton Incorporated

North American Economic Outlook
Robert Fry, Ph.D., Principal, Robert Fry Economics LLC
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North American Nonwoven Material Outlook in a Post-Pandemic and Slowing Economic World
Brad Kalil, Director of Market Intelligence and Economic Insights, INDA
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2022 RISE® Innovation Award Announcement

3:15 pm - 3:30 pm

Moderator: Matt O'Sickey, Ph.D., Director of Education & Technical Affairs, INDA