Dr. Piyush Thakre, application development leader for Healthcare and Hygiene business segment and Extrusion Coatings/Liquid Packaging business segment at The Dow Inc. and Nilesh Tharval, manager of Advanced Technology and director at i2M LLC & Digital Hub at Mann+Hummel were named as members of the Strategic Scientific Advisory Board (SSAB) for the Nonwovens Institute (NWI) following the Institute’s Spring 2025 IAB Meeting. Dr. Thakre and Tharval will be succeeding Rajen Patel and DeeAnn (“Dee”) Nelson as members of the SSAB. NWI wishes to express its appreciation to all four for their contributions to the nonwovens industry and to the Institute.

Dr. Thakre is a distinguished materials scientist and innovation leader with over 20 years of experience in advanced materials research and product development. He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, along with degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Business Management and International Business Operations from institutions in India.

He held research roles at Texas A&M, NASA Langley and the Beckman Institute at UIUC, before joining Dow in 2013. He currently serves as an Application Development Leader at Dow’s Freeport, TX research facility, where he drives strategic innovation across fibers, nonwovens, breathable films, elastics and extrusion coating platforms. His work spanned diverse sectors including aerospace, transportation, energy, filtration, packaging, sustainability, consumer, hygiene and healthcare, earning him honors such as the R&D 100 Award, Edison Award, and Dow Platinum Award. A passionate advocate for Inclusion & Diversity and STEM outreach, Dr. Thakre serves on industry advisory boards at NC State’s Nonwovens Institute and the MSE departments at Texas A&M and the University of Illinois, and holds a technical division leadership role in the Society for Experimental Mechanics. He has been actively mentoring students at multiple universities and been engaged with the Nonwovens Institute since 2019. “I am honored to be able to serve on the SSAB team and look forward to contributing to NWI with my experience in industrial research, strategic innovation, and product development,” says Dr. Thakre.

Tharval received a diploma in Textile Technology from The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association in Mumbai, Maharashtra State, India in 2001. He earned his Bachelor’s of Technology degree in 2004 from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Mumbai, and his Masters of Technology in Textiles from The Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi.

His industrial career began in 2006 when he joined Supreme Nonwoven Industries Pvt. Ltd. In Vapi, Gujarat State, India. Tharval would join Mann+Hummel in 2012 as a senior application engineer in Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka State, India. He would then move to North Carolina where he would hold a variety of positions within Mann+Hummel. Tharval is currently the manager of Advanced Technology and director of “Innovation to Market (I2M)” located in the North Carolina Research Triangle area. Tharval specializes in staple-fiber nonwoven technologies, where he has contributed to the development of over 300 nonwoven and filter products; significantly advancing capabilities in automotive, HVAC and industrial applications, including the development of a filtration product from concept to market in just 34 days during the Covid-19 pandemic, which generated substantial company revenue shortly after introduction. Tharval has been involved with NWI since 2019. “I believe that my experience, strategic insight and global industry perspective will permit me to contribute meaningfully to strategic planning and research prioritization at NWI,” says Tharval.

The Strategic Scientific Advisory Board manages the Nonwovens Institute’s project portfolio to reflect the long-term research interests of the Institute and its member companies. The board strives to create a balanced research portfolio and to develop a depth of technical knowledge. Bryan Haynes, Ph.D., chairperson of the SSAB, says, “Piyush, Nilesh, and their fellow advisors—along with their organizations—volunteer their time and expertise to help create this balance between academia and industry in the Institute’s research focus. They demonstrate the genuine commitment and value that NWI membership inspires.”