Join us for discussions surrounding material and technology solutions that address the extremes we will continue to face: temperature, wetter conditions, and overpopulation, as well as pollution and bacterial/viral threats.
( ! ) These events will be recorded and made available to academic members. Student registration is not required.
Material Performance Under Extremes
Wednesday, July 8th / 11am EDT
Special Guest: Chris Valletta, Co-Founder & General Manager at MISSION
During this conversation, we’ll talk about the importance of material performance in athletics with regard to issues such as: prevention of sports injury, impact protection, regulating temperature, and managing health. We’ll also discuss business strategy surrounding supply chain and production as we move into an ever more extreme future. Register here →
Chris Valletta is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, media contributor and former NFL Player. With a passion for using athletic-performance principles to achieve business success, Chris has developed an established track record of launching and scaling several multi-million dollar ventures.
He is the Co-Founder and General Manager of MISSION, the global leader in Instant Cooling Gear for active consumers, and author of “Team WORKS!,” a book that converges athletic principles with business success.
Chris serves as Entrepreneur in Residence for the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M as well as a Representative at Large for the Association of Former Students. He has served as an Advisor to the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell on issues of personal-conduct policy revisions and overall brand strategy. He is a regular independent contributor to Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, and MSNBC on matters related to business, workplace performance, entrepreneurship, and athletics.
MISSION takes pride in creating products that support your passions and enhance your experiences from going on a run to doing work in the yard. All of their cooling gear is made from lightweight, ultrasoft, proprietary fabrics with cooling technology that enhances the natural process of evaporation. Learn more about MISSION →
Materials Trends for the New Now: How the pandemic has changed our thinking on what’s next.
Wednesday, July 15th / 11am EDT
Special Guest: Dr. Gayatri Keskar, Head of Research at Material ConneXion
Material ConneXion’s material experts will discuss what’s new in the world of materials and how this has changed in the last few months. What are the emerging technologies that will shape the new now, and what types of materials are brands looking to as consumers rethink every aspect of everyday life?
We will consider three overarching trends: ‘Sustainability vs. Safety’, ‘The New Rules for Physical Interaction’, and ‘Home Base’. We’ll also offer material examples for each to demonstrate their relevance. Register here →
Dr. Keskar has played a key role in establishing Material ConneXion as a thought leader by developing curated content and presenting eco-innovative solutions at various conferences, webinars, and one-on-one client meetings. Dr. Keskar has served as a technical advisor to both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies including: NBCUniversal, Hunter Douglas, and Estée Lauder Companies.
She earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson University and holds numerous patents, issued and pending, in next-generation materials for consumer products.
What you can expect:
- Join Dr. Andrew Dent, EVP of Materials Research, as he welcomes leading material experts and thought leaders for a discussion on how these pivotal changes will affect your brand and what you can do to stay ahead.
- Gain valuable insight into new materials and manufacturers working to solve for these current and future extreme environments.
- Q+A following the conversation with our guest(s).
We hope to see you there!
