Fourth keynote rounds out SPE ACCE 2024 conference

Dr. Srikanth Pilla, professor and director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Composites Materials (UD-CCM), is the fourth keynote speaker for the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Composites Conference & Expo (ACCE) in Novi, Michigan. 

In line with UD-CCM’s 50^th anniversary, Pilla is presenting “50 Years of Innovation at the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials.” Established in 1974, UD-CCM was one of the country’s initial National Science  Foundation Engineering Research Centers (ERC) and is said to remain as the only surviving center from that inaugural group. UD-CCM founded the first university-industry consortium in 1978 and has established a national network with more than 400 industry partners focused on basic and applied research to commercialization/technology transition/innovation (TRL/MRL 1 to 9) and workforce training. Over the past five decades, UD-CCM has spearheaded advancements across all TRL levels, resulting in more than 5,000 peer-reviewed publications, more than 40 patents and substantial economic impacts through $300+ million in research funding. The center’s educational initiatives have also nurtured a global alum network of over 3,000, who continue to influence the composites industry and  academia significantly.

Pilla’s presentation will highlight UD-CCM’s significant contributions to interdisciplinary research, education and technology transfer in composite materials, and seeks to encapsulate UD-CCM’s foundational impact and forward-looking strategies in the dynamic field of composite materials.

In addition to his positions as professor and director of the UD-CCM, Pilla is also the founding director of “AIM for Composites,” a Department of Energy (DOE)-funded Energy Frontier Research Center. Pilla’s research interests lie in the fundamentals and applications of sustainable and lightweight functional materials and manufacturing. His research is supported by NSF, DOE, USDA, DOD and NASA, besides industries. Pilla has co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed archival publications. He is also an SPE Fellow.