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Speaker Information

Dr. Ericka Ford
Associate Professor
Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science
North Carolina State University

Abstract
Fibers are the backbone of the textile industry, which spans products for air and water filtration, building, health and hygiene, personal protection and style. Concerns about the environmental cost of processing and using textile fibers and the chemistries used to make them requires a re-envisioning of what the textile sustainability is. In this talk, innovations in textile sustainability are explored. Much of these findings were garnered through industry support and in partnership with companies seeking to revolutionize the textile industry. 

Bio
Dr. Ericka Ford is an Associate Professor at North Carolina State University, having a joint appointment between the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) in the Wilson College of Textiles and The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), since 2014. Her research in fiber extrusion and textile nanotechnologies has garnered multi-disciplinary collaborations and industry funding on topics of ‘green’ fiber manufacturing to minimize pollution, the substitution of hazardous chemistries or those having a high carbon footprint, and the use of industrialized crops to solve today’s sustainability challenges, and solutions to positively affect the ‘blue’ marine economy. This approach has garnered over 16 industry-sponsored projects, including subcontracts funded by the Department of Defense Small Business Technology Transfer (DOD-STTR) grant, while resulting in 5 exclusively licensed patents. Funding from the NC State Chancellor Innovation Fund enabled prototype development and the patenting of technologies that led to the formation of Nicelle Technologies, of which she is President and the Chief Science Officer. Dr. Ford was recognized as a 2023-2024 University Faculty Fellow, as a2021 Goodnight Early Career Innovators Award, and as NC State 2020 Outstanding Faculty Extension Award.